Month: February 2025

In 2019 the revered Notre Dame cathedral suffered a devastating fire. President Macron declared “we will rebuild Notre Dame more beautiful than it was before.” He was not kidding. On December 8, 2024 the landmark reopened to great fanfare and the restoration is phenomenal! Chief architect Philippe Villeneuve led the team of over 2,000 architects, historians, carpenters, metal workers, and stone carvers. They are called companions and their craftsmanship is second to none.  Before artisans could restore wall murals, they took one year to clean not only soot from the fire but accumulated grime from past centuries. Some frescos hadn’t been touched since 1850! The undertaking was enormous.   Bell towers, stain-glass rose windows, and invaluable pieces such as the The Virgin of Paris statue of Mary and Child survived the blaze.   Unfortunately, the iconic spire and roof did not, leaving a gaping hole at the top. Due to the tenuous structure of the remaining cathedral, remote-control robots were used to clear out the fire debris. Flying buttresses were then stabilized to begin the restoration.  Massive oak beams made up the roof famed architect Viollet-le-Duc installed in 1844 when repairing the structure after the revolution.  In order to rebuild exactly as the original this time, a national call went out to private citizens and state owned forests. The response was overwhelming and the needed 1,000 trees were harvested.  These beams in tandem with stone and lead from the original structure brought the new nave, choir frame, and transept of Notre Dame to fruition. And this time, fire detection and suppression systems were added.   Along with the rebuild, companions removed, cleaned and repaired the huge bells, as well as the 8,000 organ pipes.  I visited Notre Dame in January, 2025 and was absolutely amazed at the difference from my