Five years after a devastating fire, the iconic Notre Dame has finished restoration and will reopen this Sunday.
In April 2019, a major fire broke out in the 11th century church in Paris. The fire ravaged a significant portion of the building, including many historic artifacts that adorned the church. Soon after, a global drive started to raise funds for the restoration of the Notre Dame. Over the next 5 years, some 340,000 donors across 150 countries raised $891 million.
The funds helped to start the restoration of the Notre Dame – a massive project by any measure. Ultimately, more than 2000 artisans were involved in the restoration. The materials included 1,500 solid oak pews and wood from a 88-feet tall oak tree. 14,000 square feet of stone was replaced and 8,000 organ pipes were cleaned. The spire atop the building was restored, though a phoenix replaced the golden rooster. The marble mosaics and stained-glass windows within the church were thoroughly cleaned and shined.
A set of copper sculptures which include the 12 apostles and four New Testament figures were also restored atop the church building. These sculptures were removed for restoration at the time of the fire and thus escaped any damage. The eight bells of the church tower, which were partially destroyed during the fire, were also restored. Last month, the bells were rung for testing.
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Once open, the church is expected to see a footfall of about 4,000 visitors per day. On the occasion, French President Emmanuel Macron said: “Since more than eight centuries this cathedral was here. It resisted to two world wars, so many battles and campaigns. The decision to rebuild Notre Dame was about our capacity to save, restore, sometimes reinvent what we are by preserving where we come from. This is a message of achievement.”
