PARIS — Five years after a devastating fire reduced Notre-Dame Cathedral to a smoldering shell, The Associated Press entered the Gothic masterpiece during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit and got the first glimpse of its fully restored interior. The event was broadcast to the public. The transformation is truly breathtaking. Light dances on the sparkling stones, golden accents shine anew, and the Gothic icon’s majesty is reborn. From December 8th, visitors will once again be amazed by the cathedral’s combination of history and craftsmanship.
This is the reporter’s perspective: Nave: Shining Stone
The nave, once dark with soot and rubble, now glows with a heavenly glow. Visitors can see the true colors of the cathedral walls. Made of pale Lutetian limestone (named after the Roman word Lutetia, meaning Paris), it gleams in the sunlight streaming through the restored stained glass windows. Newly discovered blonde hues accentuate the soaring Gothic columns and ribbed vaulted ceilings, creating a bright and uplifting atmosphere. Restorers say this is the first time in centuries that real stone has been exposed in this way.
The polished checkerboard marble floor gleams beneath your feet, so smooth that you can glide over it and seem to communicate with the golden lattice divider in the choir area.
Overhead, glowing candlesticks hang majestically from each archway running from west to east, casting a warm golden light across the nave.
The meticulous restoration process used an innovative latex peel to clean more than 42,000 square meters of stone, removing centuries of stains without causing any damage. Restorers discovered masonry marks carved by medieval builders. This is an intimate trace of the craftsmen who shaped Notre-Dame Cathedral in the 12th and 13th centuries.
This glittering change is in stark contrast to the remains of 2019, when the nave was littered with charred rubble. Altar: The flame melted into the hands of Christ
The altar in the cathedral’s chancel is carved with a painful symbol of the fire’s devastation. Nicolas Coustou’s Pietà, part of Louis XIII’s ensemble, survived largely intact, but lead from the flames melted into Christ’s hands. The restorers chose to preserve it as a delicate yet powerful reminder of the tragedy.
Around the altar there is an intricate parquet floor, hidden for a long time under a layer of earth, made from pieces recovered after the fire.
Nearby, the cross of polished glory, famous for literally glowing in the flames, now stands in its full glory. The cross, framed by the gleaming blond stonework of the nave, plays a central role in the cathedral’s regeneration. Organ: Complex Resurrection
This magnificent organ is one of France’s largest and most historic organs and has undergone a complex revival. Although the flames escaped, the 8,000 lead-dusted pipes, ranging from the size of a pen to more than 10 meters high, were painstakingly disassembled, cleaned and reconditioned. The piece was performed over two years with precision in the quiet, cavernous interior of the cathedral, with all harmonization done by ear.
Now, the greatness of the organ is undeniable. The towering wooden case, carved with carvings from past craftsmen, gleams in the sunlight streaming through the restored clerestory windows. Even in silence, it evokes awe. Chapel: Murals rediscovered
The 29 chapels surrounding the nave and choir are now bursting with color and detail, previously dulled by dirt and neglect. Restorers have uncovered intricate wall paintings, golden stars on the ceiling, and vivid motifs originally created under the direction of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Each chapel tells a unique story through its design and theme.
The Saint-Marcel Chapel stands out as a masterpiece, with vividly restored murals of the saint’s relics. Visitors are captivated by its brilliant colors, creating a visual fireworks effect similar to the Sistine Chapel in Rome. In other chapels, traces of 19th-century painters’ color tests are hidden around every corner, offering a glimpse into their artistic process. Transept intersection: Reconstruction under pressure
The transept crossing, where the original spire collapsed, was one of the most formidable challenges of restoration. A new vaulted ceiling of Lutetian limestone towers above, replicating the medieval original with remarkable precision.
Archaeologists have discovered a treasure trove of history beneath the crossroads. Fragments of Notre-Dame Cathedral’s medieval juvet, or choir screen, buried under rubble. These intricately carved stones, some of which still bear faint traces of polychrome paint, offer a glimpse into the cathedral’s vibrant 13th-century decorative history. Roofs, spires and safety measures
The newly restored roof directs the eye to the sky, faithfully replicating medieval timber techniques. An intricate wooden framework known as the “forest” is hidden beneath the roof, but a glimpse of the rafters reveals the precision of both ancient and modern craftsmanship.
The outer spire is 96 meters high and faithfully reproduces Viollet-le-Duc’s 19th-century design. Clad in oak and lead, its crown holds a golden rooster containing relics of Saint Denis, Saint Geneviève, and fragments of the Crown of Thorns, and stands alongside a scroll listing the contributors to the restoration.
The spire also pays homage to the late General Jean-Louis Georgelin, who oversaw the project until his death in 2023. Today, his name is engraved at the base of the spire.
There’s more to this restoration than meets the eye. Notre Dame Cathedral now has the most advanced fire protection system ever built in preparation for future disasters. A thermal camera monitors the roof, and a fine mist system designed to extinguish flames at the source is seamlessly integrated into the structure. A fire barrier divides the roof into sections and prevents the spread of flames.
Reinforced water lines can supply 600 cubic meters of water per hour, ensuring the cathedral is better protected than before.
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