The Notre Dame Cathedral is on track to have its spire restored by late 2023, over four years after a devastating fire.
The goal is to reopen this French treasure by December 8, 2024, with three essential tasks being undertaken.
These tasks include cleaning and restoring the building’s interior, repairing damaged masonry and collapsed vaults, and reconstructing the lost spire and frameworks. Progress is being made both on-site and in workshops, according to the “Rebuild Notre Dame” committee.
Located on Ile de la Cité, the heart of Paris, Notre Dame witnessed its medieval roof engulfed in flames on April 15, 2019. Restoration efforts began the following day and are now in full swing. Walls, painted decorations, and vaults are being cleaned, while parts of the transept, nave, and choir galleries have been restored.
Inside the cathedral, the great organ is being refitted, and the stained-glass windows are under repair. Significant progress has also been made in the masonry phase, with the first collapsed vault in the north transept closed and the spire’s base, known as the “tabouret” in French, being assembled.
The completed spire will stand 315 feet tall, as Paris eagerly awaits its return. Over 1,000 people across France are involved in the restoration, with nearly 500 workers, craftsmen, and supervisors on-site.
The project also received an unprecedented philanthropic response, raising $929 million from 340,000 donors across 150 countries.
