- Notre Dame Cathedral has been gradually rebuilt over the past five years after a fire in April 2019.
- Challenges included delays due to the pandemic and the loss of the project’s leadership.
- The restoration of the Paris monument is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris after a tragic fire in April 2019 is a story of dedication and recovery.
This iconic medieval monument, immortalized in history, film and literature, has been gradually rebuilt over the past five years, overcoming challenges such as pandemic delays and the loss of its project leader.
Completion is scheduled for the end of 2024.
Notre-Dame Cathedral’s new spire revealed at new milestone after devastating cathedral fire
Here is a chronology of events during the restoration.
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France is seen at sunrise. The cathedral has been gradually rebuilt over the past five years after a fire in April 2019. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
April 2019 — Fire tore through Notre Dame Cathedral, collapsing its roof and spire, destroying its interior and sparking a wave of global solidarity. A monumental effort has begun to restore the cathedral’s grandeur, with French President Emmanuel Macron promising to complete it within five years.
June 2020 — Work on the cathedral has been delayed due to the pandemic, but the removal of charred scaffolding that surrounded the spire during previous restoration efforts was an important step.
August 2020 — Efforts begin to restore the organ, France’s largest musical instrument, which once roared through the cathedral. The 8,000 pipe organs survived the fire but were covered in toxic lead dust. Demolition, cleaning and reassembly is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
March 2021 — The first of 1,000 historic French oak trees planned for the spire’s reconstruction will be selected from the Berce Forest in France’s Loire region.
September 2021 — Carpenters, scaffolding experts, mountaineers and others help build temporary structures and special giant “umbrellas” to protect the towers, vaults and walls of open buildings, and help build structures. The fixing work was finally completed. Bidding will begin for the remaining reconstruction work.
Spring 2022 — A workshop of master glassmakers and locksmiths from across France begins the painstaking process of cleaning and restoring the cathedral’s famous stained glass windows. With help from abroad, Germany’s Cologne Cathedral has had four windows repaired.
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris scheduled to reopen in December 2024
July 2023 — A giant oak truss is hoisted over Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Parisians witness what has been described as a magical moment intertwined with preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
August 2023 — France mourns the sudden death of General Jean-Louis Georgelin, the French army general appointed to oversee the restoration. President Macron praised him as the “greatest soldier” who worked to restore Notre Dame cathedral “stone by stone.”
December 2023 — The golden rooster, reimagined as a phoenix, is returned to the top of the cathedral’s spire, symbolizing Notre Dame’s rebirth. Religious relics, including part of what is said to be Jesus Christ’s crown of thorns, are housed in a time capsule inside the golden bird.
February 2024 — Scaffolding is removed to unveil the cathedral’s new spire, decorated with a golden rooster and cross. We’re getting a glimpse of the future as Notre Dame Cathedral approaches its grand opening.
