After more than 400 firefighters mobilized to save Notre-Dame de Paris from the fire, its reconstruction, over five years, mobilized an impressive number of people: 250 companies, 2 craftsmen. But it is also thanks to the 000 donors from 340 countries that the reconstruction of the cathedral was able to be carried out in a short period of time.
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Maurice de Sully (1120-1196) : Bishop of Paris from 1160 to 1196, was behind the construction of Notre-Dame Cathedral, having laid the first stone of the site in 1163. His ambitious project aimed to replace the old Romanesque cathedral, thus responding to the demographic and spiritual growth of Paris while marking the beginning of a new architectural era with the emergence of the Gothic style.
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Louis VII (1120-1180): This king of France played a significant role in the construction of Notre-Dame de Paris by supporting the project initiated by Bishop Maurice de Sully, who wanted to replace the old Romanesque cathedral. Present at the laying of the first stone in 1163, he helped to legitimize and finance this monumental project, thus marking the beginning of an architectural work that would become emblematic of Parisian identity and the Gothic style.
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Robert de Cotte (1656-1735) : An 1708th-century architect, he was commissioned by Louis XIV to carry out major transformation works at Notre-Dame de Paris between 1725 and XNUMX, marking one of the largest alterations to the cathedral since the Middle Ages. Under his direction, key elements such as the medieval rood screen were destroyed and replaced with a new high altar, while major renovations were made to the vaults and roof structure, helping to redefine the interior of this iconic monument.
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Napoleon I (1769-1821): The Emperor chose Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris to celebrate his coronation on December 2, 1804, marking a symbolic turning point in French history by crowning himself, a decision that broke with established monarchical traditions. This grandiose ceremony, officiated by Pope Pius VII in the presence of dignitaries and military officials, not only legitimized his imperial power but also anchored Notre-Dame as a central site in the political and religious history of France.
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Victor Hugo (1802-1885) : Through his emblematic novel Notre-Dame de Paris Published in 1831, the writer was instrumental in promoting the cathedral as a symbol of the Parisian soul and Gothic architecture. His work not only captivated readers with the tragic story of Quasimodo and Esmeralda, but also sparked a preservation movement that led to Eugène Viollet-le-Duc's restoration of the cathedral in the mid-XNUMXth century, reinforcing Notre-Dame's cultural and historical significance.
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Esmeralda and Quasimodo emblematic characters of the novel Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo. The first is a young gypsy whose bewitching beauty arouses the lust of men and symbolizes purity and innocence. In the plot, she dances on the forecourt of the cathedral and becomes the heart of a tragedy where her destiny is closely linked to the one who loves her madly: Quasimodo, the bell ringer.
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Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, (1814-1879): A 1844th-century architect, he played a key role in the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris between 1864 and XNUMX, restoring the cathedral to its former glory after decades of decline. His iconic reconstruction of the spire, inspired by medieval models, not only saved the monument from destruction but also shaped the image we have of Notre-Dame today, incorporating artistic and architectural elements that have fueled debates about the authenticity of its restoration.
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Emmanuel Macron : The President of the French Republic, promised to rebuild Notre-Dame de Paris within an ambitious five-year time frame from the evening of the fire on April 15, 2019. This promise was reaffirmed in several public speeches, emphasizing his commitment to mobilize resources and talent to restore the cathedral, with the goal of reopening in 2024. Despite initial challenges and doubts expressed, his promise was kept with the reopening on December 8, 2024, a little over five years after the fire, making this restoration a symbol of determination and national unity that the President wanted to highlight.
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Renaud Capuçon, the violinist embarked on a tour of French cathedrals in the fall of 2019, visiting Chartres, Lyon, Reims, Amiens and Bordeaux, as well as the church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, with the aim of raising funds for the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris after the fire. His artistic mobilization is part of the national solidarity that followed the disaster, and he is now confirmed to participate in the grand reopening concert of the cathedral on December 7, 2024.
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Gautier Capuçon, the cellist brought some comfort by playing “Après un rêve” by Gabriel Fauré in front of Notre-Dame de Paris the day after the fire of April 15, 2019. His commitment to the cathedral will continue during the reopening ceremony on December 7, 2024, which he says he is “honored” to participate in to celebrate the rebirth of this emblematic monument through music.
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Ken follett, Welsh writer famous for his medieval fresco The Pillars of the Earth, speaks of cathedrals with a rare intensity. Passionate about their construction and symbolism, he mixes human intrigues and architectural details in his stories, paying homage to these monuments as mirrors of society. After the Notre-Dame fire in 2019, confirming his deep attachment to this emblematic building, Ken Follet wrote Our Lady, a book published by Robert Laffont, the profits from which were donated to the restoration of French heritage.
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Philippe Villeneuve : Chief Architect of Historic Monuments, responsible for the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris since 2013, he supervised the entire reconstruction project after the fire of 2019. His commitment and passion for the cathedral translated into rigorous management of the project, aimed at restoring the monument in its authenticity while respecting the ambitious deadlines set for its reopening.
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Jean-Louis Georgelin (1948-2023) : This general, appointed by Emmanuel Macron in April 2019 to oversee the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris, led this titanic project with rigor and determination until his accidental death in the mountains on August 18, 2023. Known for his hard work and direct approach, he played a crucial role in coordinating the various trades involved in the restoration, ensuring that the ambitious goal of reopening in December 2024 was met.
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Rémy and Loïc Desmonts, The first, a carpenter for 45 years, specializing in the restoration of historic monuments, selected the trees for the new framework, while his son Loïc led the project, made the specific tools and supervised the transformation of these more than 1000 oaks into beams used in particular for the framework of the nave, according to medieval techniques.
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Jackson DuBois : This director of the Timber Framers Guild, a trade group that promotes the carpentry trades, came from the United States to participate in the reconstruction of the emblematic spire of Notre-Dame de Paris, working alongside the French carpenters of the Asselin company. He describes this experience as the "pinnacle of his career", emphasizing the profound enrichment he gained from the collaboration with the various trades and the warm welcome of the local population.
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Jean-Michel Guilment, project manager within the project management for the reconstruction at the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Île-de-France, was one of the key players in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris after the fire of 2019, supervising the safety of the cathedral and coordinating the first urgent stages of the construction site. His mission consisted of defining the specifications, assessing the needs and the budget, establishing a provisional schedule, and in particular managing crucial operations such as making the cathedral watertight in just five days and securing the gables and statues under threat.
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Will Gusakov, a member of Charpentiers sans Frontières, this American carpenter from Vermont, joined the Ateliers Desmonts team in France for six months in 2023 to participate in the reconstruction of the framework of Notre-Dame de Paris, bringing his expertise in traditional carpentry techniques. Responsible for the design of the main trusses of the nave, he describes this experience as “better than a dream”, underlining the importance of this extraordinary project which required more than 1000 century-old oaks to rebuild the nave and the choir using ancestral methods.
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Philippe Jost : President of the Public Establishment Rebuilding Notre-Dame de Paris, he played a crucial role in the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris, having been appointed to head the project after the death of General Jean-Louis Georgelin in August 2023. He successfully completed this "project of the century" and fulfilled President Emmanuel Macron's promise to reopen the cathedral in December 2024.
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Patrick Jouenne : MOF carpenter, team leader for the reconstruction of the spire, coordinated 40 craftsmen. Appointed deputy general director of the public establishment Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris in December 2019, he was chosen to assist Philippe Jost.
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Lou Karoui : Initially a graduate of an engineering school in agronomy, she became an apprentice carpenter at the Ateliers Desmonts. She contributed to the development of the technical brief for the call for tenders for the reconstruction of the Gothic roof frames and was responsible, in collaboration with the National Forestry Office, for monitoring the supply of wood for the nave and choir of the cathedral.
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Catherine Lavier : A specialist in wood archaeology at the Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France, she has used her expertise to analyze the remains of the cathedral's historic framework. By examining the charred pieces of the "forest," she was able to extract valuable information on the provenance of the wood, its species, and the craft techniques of the Middle Ages, thus contributing to the understanding of the history of the cathedral and medieval construction practices.
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Lise Leroux : Engineer specializing in stones at the Historical Monuments Research Laboratory of the Ministry of Culture. She was called to the bedside of Notre-Dame de Paris to assess the condition of the cathedral's stones.
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Stefan Lücking : A German glass painter based in Borchen in North Rhine-Westphalia, he painstakingly restored two 72-square-metre stained glass windows between summer 2022 and September 2024. Together with his partner Stephan Lübbers, he spent countless hours cleaning the fire-blackened panes, gluing back the pieces broken during dismantling and reinstalling the frames, helping to restore the cathedral's glass treasures to their former glory.
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Mathieu Delaire, a rope access technician with the Jarnias company, played a crucial role in securing and consolidating Notre-Dame de Paris after the 2019 fire, working in areas inaccessible to other trades. A former soldier, having served in Kosovo, Gabon, Afghanistan and Mali, he put his skills of precision, rigour and discipline to the service of the restoration of the cathedral, notably participating in delicate missions such as preparing the watertightness of the gargoyles, covering the nave and photographing the damaged vaults.
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Matteo Pellegrino : Carpenter with an axe at the Ateliers Perrault, he participated in the reconstruction of the framework of Notre-Dame de Paris as head of the squaring, using medieval techniques to shape the beams. He contributed to the careful selection of trees and their transformation into beams, ensuring that ancestral methods were respected to faithfully recreate the framework of the 13th century, in particular by using traditional tools such as the pain (a type of axe) for manual squaring.
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Hank Silver : A stonemason originally from the United States, he contributed to the restoration of the vaults and flying buttresses of Notre-Dame de Paris, bringing his expertise in traditional construction techniques. Joining the restoration team, he worked to rehabilitate these essential architectural elements, ensuring that the historical integrity of the cathedral was preserved while using artisanal methods adapted to the medieval heritage.
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Arnaud Timbert : Professor of medieval art history, he has contributed significantly to the reflection on the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris, notably through his lectures and publications on the restoration projects of the 19th century. As part of the lecture series "Notre-Dame over the centuries" organized by the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, he presented an in-depth analysis of Viollet-le-Duc's restoration practices, demonstrating the importance of a respectful and thoughtful approach in the restoration of historic monuments.
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Michael Burrey, a carpenter and vocational school teacher in Boston, contributed to the Notre-Dame de Paris reconstruction project by sharing his expertise in ancient carpentry techniques. His skills helped restore key elements of the cathedral, highlighting the importance of passing on craft skills in major heritage initiatives.
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Mathieu Delaire, a rope access technician with the Jarnias company, played a crucial role in securing and consolidating Notre-Dame de Paris after the 2019 fire, working in areas inaccessible to other trades. A former soldier, having served in Kosovo, Gabon, Afghanistan and Mali. He put his skills of precision, rigour and discipline to the service of the restoration of the cathedral, notably participating in delicate missions such as preparing the watertightness of the gargoyles, covering the nave and photographing the damaged vaults.
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Isabelle Baudoin, master glazier based in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, was commissioned to restore four stained glass windows located on the south side of Notre-Dame, at the intersection of the transept and the choir, representing delicate work on 2022th-century stained glass windows that had never been restored. His mission, which ran from 2023 to 2019, consisted of cleaning, decontaminating and consolidating the windows damaged by soot and heat from the XNUMX fire, using precise restoration techniques.
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Guillaume Bardet, a French designer and sculptor who graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, was chosen in 2023 to create the cathedral’s new liturgical furnishings. His project, which includes five key bronze elements – the altar, the cathedra and associated seats, the ambo, the tabernacle and the baptistery – is distinguished by a powerful and timeless aesthetic, designed to integrate harmoniously into the cathedral’s sacred and majestic setting.
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Emile-Armand Benoit, Meilleur Ouvrier de France in roofing and ornamentation, played a crucial role in the restoration of Notre-Dame. He led the team responsible for installing the roofing of the reconstructed spire and the metal ornaments that enhance it at a height of more than 90 meters, transforming lead into elaborate decorations.
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Jean-Charles de Castelbajac : French fashion designer, designed the liturgical vestments and ornaments for the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris on December 7, 2024, dressing 700 members of the clergy. Inspired by the theme of light and radiance, he created pieces that combine simplicity and modernity, such as the archbishop's chasuble adorned with a golden cross with colorful flashes, symbolizing the vitality and dynamism of the Gospel. In 1997, he designed the rainbow liturgical vestment worn by Pope John Paul II, bishops and priests during World Youth Day.
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Romain Gubert : Journalist for Le Point magazine, he co-wrote, with the Paris Fire Brigade, The night of Notre-Dame by those who saved him, a book about the fire at Notre Dame de Paris. This book served as inspiration for the Netflix series Notre Dame, the part of fire, which offers a romanticized and choral perspective of the event, mixing the story of the firefighters with that of fictional characters gravitating around the cathedral during the fire.
Text: Katia Barillot
06.12.24
