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Photos: Notre Dame Cathedral spire to be restored to original design
The spire of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, which was destroyed in a fire last year, will be restored to its original, 19th century Gothic design. On July 9, the reconstruction plan presented said that it will replicate original materials to guarantee the authenticity, harmony and coherence of this masterpiece of Gothic art. It took nearly a year to clear out dangerous lead residue released in the fire and to get to the point where workers could start removing scaffolding that had been in place for a previous renovation effort.
Updated on: Jul 11, 2020 6:46 PM IST
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A view showing the restoration work at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on July 10. The Notre Dame Cathedral spire will be rebuilt just the way it stood before last year’s devastating fire. To stay historically accurate, it will again be built with potentially toxic lead. (Thibault Camus / AP)
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Members of Carpenters Without Borders use ropes to lift a part of the frame that has been constructed in order to illustrate that the trusses that support the roof of the Notre Dame cathedral, in Ermenouville on July 7. French President Emmanuel Macron, who wants Notre Dame reopened in time for the 2024 Olympics, had initially pushed for a contemporary touch atop the cathedral, prompting eye-catching proposals from architects around the world. (Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP)
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The steeple and spire of the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral collapsed as the cathedral was engulfed in flames on April 15, 2019. The restoration plan includes recreating the 19th century spire designed by architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc that collapsed in the fire and “favours fidelity to the monument’s form and a restoration of the cathedral in its latest state,” according to a statement from the state agency overseeing the project. (Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT / AFP File)
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The spire of the Notre Dame cathedral is seen during restoration work on April 11, 2019. In what is the final consensus, there will be no swimming pool or organic garden on the roof of the medieval Paris monument, or contemporary glass spire, or other modern twists. (BERTRAND GUAY /AFP File)
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Workers remove damaged scaffolding elements from the remains of the burnt roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on June 8. Work at the site had been paused for several months because of the coronavirus pandemic, but it has begun again now. (Christian Hartmann / REUTERS File)
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The reconstruction plan presented on July 9 says the project will replicate original materials “to guarantee the authenticity, harmony and coherence of this masterpiece of Gothic art.” Those materials included tons of lead, which is raising concerns among health and environmental groups. (JEAN-SEBASTIEN EVRARD / AFP File)
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