French President Emmanuel Macron provided the public with their first glimpse inside the restored Notre Dame cathedral during a televised tour, marking a triumphant milestone in the historic building's transformation since the devastating 2019 fire.
The BBC reported the cathedral has undergone a complete metamorphosis, from its soaring spire to its luminous stained glass windows. The restoration went beyond mere fire damage repair, addressing decades of accumulated grime since its last renovation.
The reconstruction of the iconic spire, which dramatically collapsed during the fire, stands as a testament to both traditional craftsmanship and modern technology. While many assumed the spire was medieval, the original was actually removed in the 1790s due to safety concerns, according to the BBC. The version that burned in 2019 was part of a neo-Gothic renovation by architect Eugène Viollet-Le-Duc.
Craftsmen utilized a combination of traditional methods and computer-aided design to construct the massive wooden base. Europe's largest crane hoisted the structure into position, followed by the installation of scaffolding that enabled workers to complete the ascending framework. The spire, like the rest of the roof, features lead cladding. A new gilded cock, replacing the fire-damaged original, now crowns the spire. Inside this ornamental rooster lies a collection of holy relics, including a thorn from the cathedral's Crown of Thorns and a parchment bearing the names of 2,000 restoration workers.
The restored cathedral's most striking feature is its radiant stonework, the BBC noted. Every limestone block has been meticulously cleaned or replaced where necessary. Experts sourced replacement stone from northern French quarries, identifying matching materials through minute characteristics such as fossil patterns. Workers cleaned approximately 40,000 square meters of stone using high-power vacuums and specialized peeling sprays to remove centuries of dirt and fire-related debris.
The reconstruction of the wooden roof, spanning 328 feet, required 1,200 carefully selected oak trees from French forests. Each tree needed to meet specific criteria: 43 feet in length, straight, and free from knots and frost-crack damage. Carpenters employed traditional 13th-century techniques, hand-sawing and shaping many beams with axes. The roof now features 35 "fermes" – triangular support structures – running the building's length.
Many exterior sculptures, including Viollet-le-Duc's famous gargoyles and chimeras, required restoration after sustaining damage from firefighting efforts and pollution. A dedicated workshop established in front of the cathedral handled repairs and replacements, with five gargoyles recreated through computer scanning and limestone crafting.
The cathedral's great organ, an 18th-century masterpiece, underwent complete disassembly to address lead monoxide contamination in its 7,952 pipes. The massive instrument, standing 39 feet tall with six keyboards, received new sheep-leather linings and electronic controls during its restoration at workshops outside Paris. The time-consuming retuning process required months of precise adjustments.
A new liturgical layout features a simple bronze altar, 1,500 new wooden chairs, and a specially designed reliquary for the Crown of Thorns. Designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac created new vestments for the clergy.
The restoration project yielded significant archaeological discoveries, including remains believed to be those of Renaissance poet Joachim du Bellay and the buried medieval rood-screen. This 36-foot stone partition, dismantled in the 18th century, contains richly detailed sculptures depicting Christ's life. Despite the successful renovation, work continues on the eastern end, with future plans including the redesign of the esplanade and the creation of a museum in the neighboring Hôtel-Dieu hospital.
