Notre Dame Cathedral reaches milestone: spire installed in restoration efforts
12:23 PM EST, November 30, 2023
Notre Dame Cathedral, one of the most recognized symbols of France across the globe, was severely damaged by a fire in 2019. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of restorers, the monumental building is gradually regaining its former grandeur. Significant progress has been made recently with the completion of another crucial element.
On Tuesday, November 28, the restorers at Notre Dame Cathedral installed a spire atop the church's roof. This represents a critical milestone in the plan to rebuild this iconic Parisian symbol.
A step closer to completion of the restoration
The 315-foot solid oak spire is expected to be fully restored by December. The spire, originally designed by architect Eugene Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century, will reclaim its original form before Christmas this year. The new structure, an identical replica of the original, is currently enveloped by scaffolding.
Over the coming days, 16 statues presently housed in the Cite de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine museum, along with a rooster, will be returned to their original place on the spire. These elements were salvaged from the fire that occurred on April 15, 2019 and resulted in the spire's collapse.
The restoration team has announced that the assembly of the nave and choir skeletons, which also collapsed in the fire, will be completed by early 2024. This will allow for the roof coverings to be put in place. With regards to the interior renovation, there is ongoing work to clean walls, paint decorations and vaults. The scaffolding is also being gradually dismantled, according to statements by the restorers, cited in French media.
Tourists eagerly await the reopening
The installation of new dark bronze liturgical elements and 1,500 handcrafted solid oak chairs in the cathedral are among the remaining tasks. These will be delivered in the last quarter of 2024.
The Notre Dame Cathedral is set to reopen on December 8, 2024, after the summer Olympic Games in Paris. President Emmanuel Macron confirmed this date in late August. Prior to the fire, the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral attracted an average of 12 million tourists annually, with 2,500 services and 150 concerts held each year.
