On December 7, Notre Dame de Paris is scheduled to reopen following a five-year-long restoration. On April 15, 2019, a fire nearly toppled the 861-year-old French cathedral. Since then, an elite squadron of historians, architects, engineers, art restoration experts, and more have undertaken the painstaking work of fixing what historian Jacques Hillairet called la maison du peuple, or the house of the people.
Some medieval methods have been used on the structure, which is believed to be the first Gothic-style cathedral that used iron for binding sections of stonework together.
Paris-based National Geographic photographer Tomas van Houtryve took a series of images of the painstaking work that went into restoring the iconic landmark. They are featured in the magazine’s December 2024 issue and some are in the image gallery below.
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A series of celebratory masses are planned over the next six months, including one dedicated to the firefighters and workers who resurrected the Gothic catherdral. The first mass following the fire was held in June 2019 and also honored those who jumped in to save the piece of history.
Following the reopening, construction on Notre Dame’s exterior will continue. Paris is investing roughly $54 million to create about 20,000 square feet of green space in a pedestrian-friendly zone outside of the cathedral. For more photos, visit National Geographic.
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