The new Notre-Dame Cathedral was inaugurated on 8th December following the devastating fire in 2019. At LOCK & enjoy! we’re here to share some fascinating details about the new Notre-Dame Cathedral, ensuring you miss nothing on your visit to the city.
If you have luggage, backpacks, or other bulky items, LOCK & enjoy! offers the perfect solution with safe and accessible lockers in Paris. Leave your belongings securely and explore the cathedral, its renovated features, and its surroundings, such as the Île de la Cité or the charming Latin Quarter, without any worries.
Key Curiosities of the New Notre-Dame Cathedral
It’s noteworthy that France has made a Herculean effort to restore the splendour of one of the world’s greatest Gothic temples, and the reconstruction has been completed in record time.
Restoration?
The initial idea after the fire was to rebuild the temple. However, it turned out that only a comprehensive refurbishment was necessary.
All damaged or destroyed elements have been recovered and recreated. Yet, most of the valuable sculptures, statues, and decorations were not affected by the fire.
For instance, to restore the wooden beam “forest” that supports the roof, thousands of century-old trees from the Forest of Bercé had to be felled, as this was the source of the original material. Another example includes the bells, which have been restored in a workshop in Normandy where they were originally made centuries ago.
As for the furniture, it has simply been cleaned. However, the wooden furnishings have received numerous criticisms for being authentic designer pieces.
Additionally, the organ was dismantled piece by piece, which was one of the costliest tasks, involving 8,000 pipes.
We are excited to announce that there is an ongoing project to open a museum dedicated to objects that were damaged and could not be restored; museum is planned to be located in the Hôtel-Dieu, very close to the cathedral.
Spire
The spire that once topped Notre-Dame was completely destroyed; pre-reconstruction studies and reports were not without controversy, as the initial intention was to replace the original spire with a contemporary-style one.
However, public pressure and the opinion of most heritage experts prevailed, and the spire was replicated. Therefore, the new Notre-Dame features a 90-meter-tall wooden spire covered in lead, replicating the 19th-century design.
Stained Glass and Tapestries
On the cathedral’s south facade, there are 6 stained glass windows that remained intact after the fire, installed in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc.
However, there are plans to replace them by 2026. This issue is not yet settled, as art and heritage specialists argue that this change would disrupt the architectural unity. Conversely, the Archbishopric of Paris advocates for adding a more contemporary touch to the temple.
The altarpieces by Spanish painter Miquel Barceló are present in the renovation, specifically in the north side chapel.
Rooster
The rooster that crowned the spire of Notre-Dame has also been completely replaced while maintaining its original structure and design. It is important to note that this rooster is an emblem of France, appearing on the national teams’ crest and many French brands. For the French, it is a symbol of pride and strength due to its commanding crow.
New rooster, crafted by Philippe Villeneuve, is notably covered in gold.
Stone
The stone has not been without controversy either. Initial criticisms arose because the stone was white. However, there is an explanation.
Original stone has simply been cleaned, as over time and due to smoke, it had darkened; thus, it is white because it is no longer dirty.
This change has given the cathedral a more Neo-Gothic than Gothic style. Yet, some experts have advocated for leaving a portion of the stone unrestored for comparison.
Cost
In addition to the record time, it’s worth mentioning that the cost has been covered by private donations. To give you an idea, €600 million was raised within the first 24 hours.
Furthermore, a total of 150 countries have made donations amounting to €850 million.
The final cost was €600 million, thus leaving €150 million surplus for future interventions and improvements. It’s important to note that scaffolding will remain in place until 2026 until the controversy over the restoration of the stained glass is resolved.
More than 2,000 workers have made the success of the new Notre-Dame possible.
Entrance
The start of the works also opened the debate on whether to charge an entrance fee to visitors, as is done at other monuments in the country and around the world, idea generated such controversy that it was postponed for later discussion.
One of the main innovations is the development of a digital application that allows booking a specific time slot to avoid queues.
Come and discover the curiosities of the new Notre-Dame Cathedral! At LOCK & enjoy! we also invite you to discover the numerous activities in Paris to enjoy one of the most important cities in the world. We look forward to seeing you.
Sevilla