How Notre Dame de Paris has been built and rebuilt through the centuries.
The fire that started in the nave of Notre Dame de Paris on April 15, 2019, sparked an ongoing restoration project of the iconic cathedral. With her doors recently opened again to the public in December 2024, it’s time to revisit the various renovations over the last 862 years. These renovations have given visitors a chance to step back into history and feel they have transcended to a holier realm, as was the original intent behind the gothic architecture of Notre Dame. As Smarthistory describes, “Churches are often an amalgamation of architectural styles, the result of building campaigns and modifications undertaken at different times, some due to fire, some due to the desire for what a new style represents, and some due to (often inaccurate) restoration efforts.” Notre Dame is no exception.
Notre Dame’s First 856 Years
Initial Construction
The first stone of one of the most iconic buildings in the world was laid in 1163. The building was officially finished nearly two centuries later in 1345, and construction and renovation have been a continuing process since then. The process took long enough that the cathedral was finished in a later style of Gothic architecture than it started out as.
Reformations and
Counter-Reformations
Smarthistory references several cases of intentional destruction toward the church in the following centuries. These included the Protestant Reformation, which started with Martin Luther in 1517 and spread throughout Europe. Protestant objection to religious imagery during this reformation led to assaults on
the cathedral.
The cathedral went through significant renovations under King Louis XIV in the early eighteenth century as part of the Counter-Reformation. These renovations included adding new details to the south side of the cathedral and changing the choir by replacing the rood screen with a wrought iron gate. This change conformed to the ideas of the Counter-Reformation of the Catholic Church by allowing more transparency for worshippers in the nave to see the ordinances performed in the chancel.
Revolutions
Then in 1793, Our Lady lost a few of her own heads to the French Revolution. The cathedral was rechristened, or rather unchristened, as the Temple of Reason. Statues that were mistaken to be of kings of France were beheaded, the building was looted, and the practice of Catholicism was outlawed. By the time Napolean Bonaparte rose to power, the cathedral was on the brink of collapse. The building was plastered over and covered with drapes to spruce it up for Bonaparte’s coronation in 1804.
Due to a second, shorter revolution in 1830, the cathedral was damaged to the point that authorities nearly decided to demolish the building. What saved Notre Dame this time around was the public support generated by Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Reconstruction started in 1844 after the French government decided to restore Notre Dame. Under the supervision of Violletle-Duc, who was hired to oversee the project, the cathedral received a new spire to replace an older spire, which was removed to protect the building in the eighteenth century, as well as some other structural and cosmetic changes. Further restoration projects were undertaken throughout the twentieth century to maintain the building.
Notre Dame’s Last Six Years
I remember watching the tragedy unfold along with viewers around the world as the cathedral’s spire burned—the intense orange flames and billowing smoke intensified against the tranquility of the sunset. The fire on April 15, 2019, has been yet another catalyst for restoration and renovation. Restoration efforts started before the fire was even extinguished, as priceless paintings, relics, and statues were rescued from the flames. Plans were made soon after the fire was extinguished for a multiphase restoration project that would allow visitors again by 2024. The ongoing restoration is happening in three stages, with the first two stages complete.
| 1163 | Construction begins on the cathedral. |
|---|---|
| 1345 | The construction of Notre Dame is largely completed. |
| 1517 | Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation begins. |
| 1643 | King Louis XIV is coronated. |
| 1793 | The French Revolution starts, and the cathedral is damaged. |
| 1804 | Napoleon Bonaparte is coronated in Notre Dame. |
| 1830 | The Second French Revolution leaves Notre Dame in dire state |
| 1831 | Victor Hugo publishes The Hunchback of Notre Dame. |
| 2019 | A fire starts in the roof of Notre Dame, damaging the cathedral. |
| 2024 | Notre Dame officially reopens. |
Safety Phase
The first stage of the restoration was the safety phase, which involved removing the damage and preparing the edifice to be rebuilt. The fire caused some of its own damage by directly destroying the spire, roof, and attic. But falling stones, water leaks, and melted lead created further safety hazards to both workers and the cathedral. To complicate matters further, the COVID-19 pandemic happened in the middle of the safety phase and caused a few months’ delay in any progress. Much of the safety phase included building scaffolding to fortify and reinforce various structural supports so the roof could be rebuilt. Other features of the safety phase included removing debris and lead decontamination. The safety phase was finished in August 2021.
Reconstruction
The second stage was the reconstruction phase, which lasted from 2021 through 2024. This phase was all about preparing the cathedral for public reentry. Different parts of the cathedral that required reconstruction were the roof, nave, vault, spire, and choir organ. Remarkably, the cathedral was open to the public by the original 2024 deadline, despite the setbacks caused by the pandemic.
Restoration
Although the cathedral is once again open, there is still work that needs to be done. The final stage is the restoration phase, which has already started and is expected to finish by the end of 2026. This phase involves restoring many of the art pieces, statues, and gargoyles throughout the cathedral.
Visiting Notre Dame Today
Notre Dame was reopened to the public on December 8, 2024. Visitors to Paris may enter the cathedral free of charge and make reservations to reduce wait times at the cathedral’s official website. Returning visitors may notice some key differences. The interior walls of the cathedral have been cleaned, and the radiating chapels have received a facelift, with many of the original bright colors freshly painted. Many of the restorations serve to make Notre Dame look how it was originally intended. Other changes, such as a new alter piece, serve to remind patrons that the cathedral is a living building with a future as well as a past.