Everyone is talking about the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral and the devastating fire that broke out on Monday. The French Gothic landmark, situated in the heart of Paris, France had been undergoing renovations when the fire started.
The cathedral has quite a lengthy history though, and this certainly isn’t the first time it’s undergone restoration efforts.
With the fire now out, French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed that Notre-Dame will be rebuilt. Additionally, French billionaires have already pledged over $450 million to go towards those efforts.
The construction of Notre-Dame begun in 1160 and was largely completed a century later. It has, of course, been modified quite a bit since. During the French Revolution, the cathedral was desecrated, leaving much of the religious imagery in ruin.
In the 1800s, the cathedral regained its popularity as a culturally significant landmark. And between 1844 and 1864, it also underwent a massive restoration project. This is also when the iconic spire was added.
In 1963, the cathedral was restored to its original color as centuries of grime were cleaned from the façade. And between 1991 and 2000, yet another cleaning and restoration project took place.
For centuries, the cathedral endured rain, snow, pollution, and other damaging elements. The New York Times reported in 2017 that flying buttresses supporting the cathedral had been affected by pollution and rainwater. Acid rain had additionally eroded limestone decorations.
Considering the cathedral’s overall condition, it’s not surprising what a toll the fire took on it.
The Archdiocese of Paris had estimated the cost of the repairs needed before the fire to be at least $185 million. After the damages sustained on Monday, that figure will be exponentially higher.
“There is no part of the building untouched by the irreparable loss of sculptural and decorative elements, let alone the alarming deterioration of structural elements,” said the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris foundation, an organization seeking to raise additional funds for efforts to rebuild.
While it seems Notre-Dame’s ongoing restoration efforts had been a necessity, those efforts may also be linked to the fire. However, an investigation into the cause is still ongoing.
Of course, those restoration efforts may also have saved some of the church’s religious and architectural treasures as well. Although, some appear to simply have been spared by the blaze.
It’s unclear what the true extent of the damages will be at this time. While some things were lost to the fire, others may also be water damaged from efforts to extinguish the flames. Only time will tell what has been entirely lost and what can still be repaired.
“I say to you very solemnly this evening, this cathedral will be rebuilt,” Macron said on Monday. “It is part of our destiny in France and our project for years to come.”
