On December 7-8, 2024. celebrations will be held in Paris to mark the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after the fire that broke out in April 2019
Notre Dame de Paris was founded in 1163. under Louis VII. The initiator of the construction was the Parisian bishop Maurice de Sully. In 1182 the main altar of the cathedral was consecrated (since then it has been an active church). All construction works were completed in 1345. (architects in different years are Jean de Shell, Pierre de Montreux, Raymond de Temple, Pierre de Shell, Jean Ravi).
The cathedral, built in the Gothic style, has a height of 35 m, a length of 130 m, a width of 48 m, a spire with a height of 96 m and two bell towers. The main facade is decorated with sculptural groups depicting episodes from the Gospel. Above the central entrance (built at the beginning of the 13th century), scenes from the Last Judgment are depicted, above left (beginning of the 13th century) - from the life of the Virgin Mary, above right (end of the 12th century) - Saint Anne. The entrance on the south side of the temple (second half of the 13th century) is dedicated to the first Christian martyr Saint Stephen. The doors of the cathedral have wrought iron ornaments. The upper part of the facade is decorated with figures of gargoyles and chimeras.
Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the symbols of the capital of France. The area in front of it is considered the starting point of all French roads.
The main relics of the cathedral are the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ, one of the nails with which he was crucified, and a piece of the cross itself. Their authenticity has not been scientifically confirmed, but for the entire Christian world they are holy places and objects of worship. In addition, the cathedral houses the tunic of King Louis IX (13th century), who led the 7th and 8th Crusades and was canonized by the Catholic Church.
In the 19th century, a bronze casket in the shape of a rooster was erected at the very top of the Gothic spire, in which one of the thorns from the Crown of Thorns, as well as fragments of the relics of Saint Genevieve and Saint Dionysius of Paris, were kept.< /span>
The temple houses one of the largest organs in the world. Currently there are 110 registers and about 7,400 pipes (the first organ was installed there in the 15th century and was subsequently expanded and reconstructed several times).
Notre Dame Cathedral has witnessed various historical events. Thus in 1229, after the successful crusades, Count Raymond VII of Toulouse was forced to swear there that he would no longer allow Jews to hold public office. In 1302 The Estates General, the first Parliament of France (1302—1789), met for the first time in the cathedral. In 1456 these walls witnessed the acquittal of Joan of Arc, who was executed for heresy in 1431.
Notre Dame Cathedral has traditionally hosted weddings of kings and heirs to the throne. In 1558 Mary Queen of Scots and Dauphin Francois (future King Francis II) were married there in 1572. - Margaret of Valois and Henry of Navarre (future Henry IV), in 1853. of Napoleon III. However, the cathedral did not become a place for the coronation of the French kings, whose anointing took place in the capital of Champagne, Reims. The only exception was the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804
During the French Revolution (1789-1799), Maximilien Robespierre declared that if the Parisians did not want the "fortress of obscurantism" was overthrown, then they must pay a tax for the needs of the revolution. Instead of religious services, parades and carnivals began to take place there, and for a while the building was used as a warehouse. During this period, unique stained glass windows and sculptures were destroyed, the spire was destroyed, and the church utensils were looted. In 1802 Notre Dame was returned to the church. However, the building fell into such disrepair that in the 1930s they wanted to demolish it, but it was decided to restore it. This was greatly facilitated by Victor Hugo's novel "Notre Dame de Paris". - the book, published in 1831, was a great success and drew attention to the state of the cathedral. The restoration began in 1834 under the direction of the architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc and was completed in 1864.
Our Lady of Paris survived two world wars with almost no losses. In 1963 the facade has been cleaned of centuries-old soot and dirt, returning it to its original cream color. In 1991-1999 the building has been restored again. In 1991 the cathedral as part of the site "The banks of the Seine in Paris" is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In 2000-2010. Notre Dame was the most visited attraction in Paris - about 13-14 million people came there every year (an average of more than 30 thousand people per day). Thus, it surpassed the Eiffel Tower in popularity (6-7 million). Services were held daily in the cathedral.
The fire occurred on April 15, 2019. during restoration works (started in 2018). It lasted 15 hours and destroyed the spire, the clock and the unique wooden roof frame of 800-year-old oak beams. Two towers and the stone facade of the building survive. It was possible to save the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ, the tunic of Saint Louis, a statue of the Virgin Mary and the baby, a bronze coffin in the shape of a rooster, a piece of the cross on which, according to legend, Jesus Christ was crucified and some paintings. The organ is significantly damaged. The 19th-century stained-glass windows with geometric or interlacing motifs are undamaged. Most likely, the fire occurred due to a mistake during the restoration. In March 2022 the investigation is over, no signs of arson were found.
In 2019 the structures of the cathedral were reinforced. In 2020 work was stopped due to the spread of the new coronavirus (not even a temporary roof was installed until that point). Full reconstruction began in 2022.
During the work, President Emmanuel Macron suggested that the spire should not be rebuilt, but replaced with a new one, but the expert community opposed it. Until November 28, 2023 restorers managed to restore the tower. Macron also discussed replacing some of the historic stained glass windows, which again sparked a wave of criticism. However, in December 2023. Macron did, however, announce a competition to create six modern stained glass windows for the side chapels of the cathedral. In July 2024 the French National Commission for Cultural Heritage and Architecture banned their installation, but Macron once again declared that our century “must be reflected among the many others that appear in the masterpieces of the cathedral”. Until September 2024 eight projects were selected. The winner, to be chosen by the country's president and the archbishop of Paris, will be announced in December.
In May 2024 a cross saved during the fire is mounted on the roof. On October 6, the installation of eight bells was completed. On November 15, the statue of the Virgin and Child was returned to the cathedral. Full completion of restoration work is planned for 2029-2030. The total cost of restoration is roughly estimated at 850 million euros (the required amount is almost entirely raised in the form of donations from organizations and individuals).
On December 7, French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to address Parisians in front of the walls of the cathedral. Heads of state and other guests of honor are expected there, including sponsors of the restoration of the temple. At the same time, Pope Francis twice publicly rejected Macron's invitation, saying he would give “priority to the people who need it most”. The media linked this to the dissatisfaction of the head of the Roman Catholic Church with the scandalous opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games. in Paris. After the speech of the president, a concert will take place in front of the cathedral with the participation of opera and popular performers. On December 8, Notre Dame will be open to visitors. The first mass after the fire will be held there (in 2019 and 2020, two services were held inside the cathedral walls, but only clergy were present).
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