“Notre Dame Cathedral Restoration Incomplete Following 2019 Fire”
Restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral Expected to be Completed by End of 2024
The Notre Dame Cathedral, which was founded in 1163 and took three centuries to complete, is expected to be fully restored by the end of 2024. The historic building suffered severe damage in a fire on April 15, 2019, and the cause of the blaze is still unknown. The tower and roof collapsed in the fire, but significant progress has been made in cleaning the historical wall, painted decoration, and vaults of the building, with reconstruction of the nave and choir vaults set to be completed by the end of 2021.
A record donation of 846 million euros was collected from a total of 340,000 donors from 150 countries to fund the restoration work. The number of employees working on the cathedral exceeds 1,000, including craftsmen such as stone and glass masters and carpenters. More than 100 companies have contributed to the restoration process. The restored version of the tower, which consists of 150 pieces of wood, will reach a height of 100 meters and weigh 600 tons.
Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the symbols of Paris and attracts millions of tourists worldwide. The building is expected to reopen to the public in December 2024, 4 years after the devastating fire. During the restoration, a 700-year-old sarcophagus was found buried beneath the building, along with an underground network of brick pipes used for heating in the 19th century. The story of the cathedral fire has even been made into a movie by French director Jean-Jacques Annaud, released in March 2022, further cementing the building’s place in history.
