By Marilyn Delk
DCCA News
Undoubtedly one of the most famous sites in Paris, the Notre Dame Cathedral holds a special place in the hearts of people around the globe regardless of nationality or religious affiliation. So when the treasured architectural wonder began burning on April 15, 2019, almost everyone was held horrifyingly spellbound, and when that iconic spire tumbled to the ground, a gasp was heard around the world. Almost immediately following the extinguishing of the disastrous fire, French President Emmanuel Macron declared “Notre Dame is our history, our literature, part of our psyche” and “together we will rebuild it.” Although he was speaking of his country, citizens of many nations felt a part of that history, thus becoming a part of that we.
When my husband and I visited Paris almost thirty years ago, in order to orient ourselves and to explore some of the wonder around us, immediately after checking into our hotel on the Left Bank we took a walk. As we wandered, we surveyed everything around us with great delight; when we reached the end of our street, I saw standing before us a building so magnificent that I could hardly take it in. I turned to my husband and asked, “What is that?” He looked at me in astonishment, then replied, “You know what that is.” And I did—it was Notre Dame; but somehow, the sight before me was simply too glorious to be immediately comprehended.
Later, when we returned to tour the awe-inspiring structure, my experience was no less impressive than that first encounter with the iconic cathedral. Therefore, I am heartened by the continuing positive news regarding the ongoing reconstruction following that devastating fire. In a powerful signal of the cathedral’s revival, reports assure us that the fallen 315-foot spire which was added in the nineteenth century will gradually start reappearing this year, and will be totally restored by December 2024. Many artisans are striving to achieve this major accomplishment.
Gothic architecture, which is said to have been developed to bring sunshine into people’s lives as well as to their churches, is characterized by soaring pointed arches, external buttressing, and asymmetry. Notre Dame took about 200 years to build, and has stood for 850 years. Medieval-era skills are being employed by modern-day carpenters to restore the cathedral in the same way it was built in the Middle Ages, using tools that would have been utilized by those working on this building 900 years ago.
There will not be a single nail, screw, or piece of metal in Notre Dame’s roof frame. Using traditional methods, the wood frame of the restoration was created from over 1200 oak trees felled by the same axes and shaped by the same hand tools used by the original craftsmen. One of the carpenters who is using his hand-forged axe to remove thin layers of wood says that he is leaving a magnificent mark on the new beams, a mark that is the same found on the medieval originals. “For me, it is a passion to work with such old tools; you work with your hand, your hatchet, your heart, and your head.”
The wooden pieces of the spire are being crafted and placed together in northeastern France; however, unlike in medieval times, the frame will be trucked into Paris, then lifted into position by a mechanical crane. Twenty-first century technology contributes much to the project; carpenters and architects are using computer design and other modern components in the reconstruction to help insure that the hand-chiseled beams fit together perfectly. In addition to all of this major construction, the cathedral’s stunning rose windows are being cleaned, as is the ancient stone throughout the building. The decay of centuries is being wiped away as this cherished work of art is being resurrected, delighting and inspiring disparate populations around the world as well as the proud people of Paris.
