On December 7, 2024, Notre Dame Cathedral, one of France's oldest and most famous symbols, reopened to visitors after five years of closure for restoration since the 2019 fire.
The revival of this historic structure not only marks the rebirth of a nearly 900-year-old masterpiece, but also deepens the meaning of determination and solidarity of France and the whole world .
Historical symbol of France
As one of the symbols of Western Christian civilization, Notre Dame Cathedral is world famous for its architectural and cultural values.
Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral (French name Notre-Dame de Paris) began construction in the mid-12th century.
Construction of this project continued for about 200 years after that. Notre Dame Cathedral is located on the Cité Island on the Seine River in the capital city of Paris.
This special geographical location has made the Cathedral a historical symbol, closely associated with the formation and development of Paris.
Notre Dame Cathedral is 128m long, 48m wide, 96m high, and can accommodate 6,500 people. This is not the largest church in France, but it is the most influential and attractive.
The most famous religious structure of Gothic architecture, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris has symmetrical herringbone arches on both sides. With its spires on the outside and its soaring ceilings with kaleidoscopic glass and windows on the inside, this historic structure has been featured in many classic literary works.
After nearly 9 centuries of existence, Notre Dame Cathedral carries all the historical, religious, architectural, cultural values... to become one of the greatest symbols of Western Christian civilization.
Surviving two world wars, on August 24, 1944, Notre Dame Cathedral rang its bells as a declaration of the liberation of Paris from Nazi Germany at the end of World War II.
Notre Dame Cathedral has also been the inspiration for many literary works, including the famous novel "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" by the great writer Victor Hugo, with the main character being the hunchback Quasimodo.
Before the 2019 fire, the site attracted 12-14 million visitors from around the world each year, making it the most visited historical site in Europe.
Masterpiece Reborn
Notre Dame Cathedral was destroyed in the late 18th century during the French Revolution (1789). The subsequent restoration under the direction of architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc did not finish until the late 19th century.
Then, in the 21st century, Notre Dame Cathedral was suddenly hit by a huge fire on April 15, 2019, burning down 2/3 of the roof of the Cathedral. The spire, roof and many important architectural parts of Notre Dame Cathedral were severely destroyed.
The fire caused a stir around the world as it was a huge loss to a cultural symbol of France and the world.
At that time, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to restore and reopen the Cathedral after 5 years, which caused a lot of skepticism at the time. However, true to his promise, the restoration was completed after 5 years and reopened to visitors on December 7, 2024.
According to President Macron's office, France has received funding from many parts of the world to restore this historic building, estimated at 843 million euros. Of this, 700 million euros have been spent on the first two phases of consolidation and restoration; the remaining 140 million euros will be used to restore the facades and roof of the sacristy by early 2025.
After 5 years of hard work, artisans and carpenters have successfully completed the restoration work, restoring the original beauty of the church. The iconic tower has now been meticulously reconstructed, ready to welcome visitors.
The 96m-high spire of Notre Dame Cathedral, built entirely of oak, with the surrounding structure completed by the end of December 2023. Around this spire, the original lead-decorated statues have been reinstalled. Fortunately, these statues were taken down before the fire broke out and were therefore not damaged.
Restoring the church's spire was a monumental task and required special techniques.
From a distance, the tower resembles a needle with two open floors, including railings, columns, gables and a pinnacle. The tower weighs 750 tons, with the wooden base acting as a solid foundation, supporting the entire complex structure.
The body of the tower is a 20m high octagonal structure, consisting of 285 parts. The base of the tower, designed like a stool, is 15m long, 13m wide and 6m high, holding the tower firmly to 4 large pillars.
In addition to the spire, the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral has also been restored to the original form of the 13th-century masterpiece. The roof is made up of a series of basic spans approximately 4m long. Each span consists of triangular structures with 4 secondary rafters and a main rafter.
A week before this historic masterpiece reopened, on November 29, 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Notre Dame Cathedral and was completely overwhelmed by what the artisans had worked tirelessly for the past five years to "turn coal dust into art."
During the visit, President Macron emphasized that this was an opportunity to express special thanks to the 2,000 people from all professions from 250 different companies, from woodworkers, metalworkers, stonemasons, scaffolders, roofers, bell workers, to art restorers, gilders, masons, sculptors, carpenters, organists, architects, archaeologists, engineers... who participated in the restoration of the cathedral.
President Macron said: "The fire of Notre Dame Cathedral was a national wound and you healed it with will, work, and dedication... You did what many thought was impossible"./.
Source: https://baodaknong.vn/nha-tho-duc-ba-paris-su-hoi-sinh-ky-dieu-tu-dong-tro-tan-236300.html
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