A Look at the Newly-Restored Notre-Dame Cathedral

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is not only a sacred site, it’s a globally recognized cultural landmark that many thousands flock to each year. Some even call it the symbol of Paris. The stunning cathedral was built from 1163-1270, though many changes were made in the centuries that followed. A tragic fire in the spring of 2019 led to the closing of the church and a massive restoration project began. The lead roof was badly damaged in the blaze, as were many other parts of the building. Now, the works have wrapped up and the world is excitedly awaiting the re-opening of this premiere Parisian cathedral.

The famous church was opened back up on December 7, 2024, on schedule overall despite many delays along the way. Heads of state from all over the globe were in attendance for the initial re-opening mass, with public attendance permitted from December 8 onward.

A number of ceremonies to honor the history and the workers involved in restoration are taking place the first days after the cathedral reopens, including a choir performance comprised of the workers who made the restorations possible.

The Murals

There are 29 radiating chapels (named for how they radiate from the choir) in the cathedral, each built over the centuries as wealthy donors paid for these elaborate additions. Many of them are decorated with brilliant polychrome murals featuring motifs in gilt. Fresh borders in red and gold, azure blue backgrounds with constellations of glittering stars, and ceiling roses painted in all colors now adorn the chapels of this limestone landmark.

Some murals were damaged in the fire, while others had simply been left untouched and gathering dust for decades. Restorations have returned these enclaves to their former glory, even better than they were before the fire.

Thousands of Workers (and Trees)

Thousands of tradespeople and craftsmen have been working the past five years to ensure that this restoration went off without a hitch. Harness and rope technicians were on site from the day after the fire was put out and are still on site. At a cost of over €700M so far this is one of the most expensive projects of this type in recent years. And, that’s because so many parts of the building were damaged in the fire and in the firefighting efforts. Donations poured in from every corner of the globe and exceeded the above figure. The remainder of the funds will be used to cover the cost of exterior restorations.

In addition to the millions of euro and thousands of workers, it also took 2,000 oak trees, sourced from within France, to rebuild the ribs and roof structure again. This series of densely-packed beams is nicknamed “the forest” for how many timbers it contains. Additionally, stones in the nave and around the cathedral that hadn’t been cleaned in ages have now been made gleaming, adding to the huge change in appearance overall.

Relics Uncovered

During the works many treasures were uncovered, including some that were believed to have been lost long ago. In 2022 it was revealed that crews working inside the cathedral had found a lead sarcophagus. Now, a few years on we know that there are quite a few other objects and architectural details that were discovered in the rubble of the fire.

Some of these finds are now on display at the Musée de Cluny, not far from the cathedral. These finds include a bust of Jesus and fragments of the nave screen featuring figures carved in the 13th century. The latter were found during the first excavations after the fire, a surprise to even those who know the cathedral well. Some of these types of fragments were also unearthed in the mid-1800s after the cathedral had to be restored from a long period of abandonment. Historians were stunned that more of these relics were waiting under the remains of the fire.

Modern Updates and Mixed Reception

While the world waits with eager anticipation to see this restored landmark, there are some who are less than happy with the renovations. Critics say that, in addition to repairing what was necessary, newer elements were added to replace older ones, resulting in a different look for Notre-Dame. The modernizations were implemented at the request of President Emmanuel Macron and guided by the Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich.

Eight stained glass windows, an iconic part of the cathedral, are being replaced with modern ones. The old windows are not original to the 13th century, but rather were installed during the 19th century neo-Gothic renovations. Despite objections from the National Commission for Heritage and Architecture, it appears that the windows will indeed be replaced. Modern furniture and adornments also feature in the renovation, including an ultra-modern baptismal font that is centrally located.

These are features that not everyone is on board with and time will tell how the world reacts to these changes. But, for now the structure is safe and the interior is once again ready for visitors. Those who visit the cathedral shortly after reopening will notice some scaffolding still up and that is because exterior renovations are ongoing.

You can get a peek at the newly-restored Notre-Dame Cathedral in the video below.