![]() ![]() The old limestone quarries are reopened sometimes under special circumstances for the renovation of old statues or buildings. Recreating the spire using wood and harvesting limestone to help rebuild damaged parts of the cathedral are now the plan to restore Notre Dame to its former glory. Some say that if Notre Dame was first built with steel, iron and concrete, we would not have a modern-day Notre Dame to be discussing. Lumber, as we’ve seen through sustainable construction practices today, can actually be more fire-resistant and long-lasting than other modern-day materials. So close, in fact, that modern materials may be forgone completely. Since then the tide has shifted to staying close to the original. Originally President Macron of France was going to open up an international competition to redesign a new spire. The rebuilding efforts of the cathedral tell us more about modern construction than you’d think. Without it, who knows what Notre Dame would have looked like. The church we recognize today all dates back to these restoration projects. Gargoyles were never a feature of the church but after Hugo’s book they were added during this project, too. There was a huge boom in investment between 1844 – 1864 to restoration efforts to the church. When Hugo’s story became popular it renewed interest in fixing up and renovating the church. At the time many old gothic buildings were being demolished and Notre Dame was still sitting in ruins. Hugo’s choice to have Quasimodo seek refuge in the Notre Dame cathedral was a strategic choice to grow interest in the church and save it. They weren’t able to see their beauty for what it was. The citizens’ judgment and hatred for him was a mirror of how Persians at the time looked down at the old gothic buildings in Paris. Quasimodo – the hunchback in the story – was supposed to be a representation of gothic buildings in Paris. The Hunchback of Notre Dame was actually a story written by Victor Hugo in 1831 under the French title, Notre-Dame de Paris. You probably recall the story of The Hunchback of Notre Dame with cartoon gargoyles, musical interludes and a touching story about not judging people by their appearance. ![]() Notre-Dame De Paris – or The Hunchback of Notre Dame Lead was used primarily in the ceiling which is why it melted and collapsed so easily in the 2019 fire. The limestone in this building was actually mixed with iron particles to help strengthen and fortify the blocks. Unknown information about 13th-century construction could soon be discovered through these efforts. For the first time wood from the church can be taken down and studied. ![]() While much of the wood did burn during the fire many pieces were barely damaged. Although much of the church – especially the roof – is wooden, there has never been a case of insect infestation or weakening of the structure. The use of wood in the construction has baffled the studiers of the church for decades. Most of the limestone quarries that were used to harvest the material for construction closed down in the 20th century when concrete took over as a primary building material. The limestone was Lutetian Limestone – the same type that was used to build the Chateau of Versailles. And that’s only the latest and most visible such episode.The church itself was built mainly from limestone, wood, iron and lead. Lord Norman Foster has applauded Macron’s plan, calling it “an acknowledgment of that tradition of new interventions and a pledge for its continuation.” The cathedral, after all, was the site of one of history’s most noted interventions when the church was dubbed a Temple of Reason during the French Revolution, which nearly destroyed it. The debate over how Notre-Dame should be restored, and by whom, is only just beginning.įrench President Emmanuel Macron has said he wants the structure rebuilt “more beautifully” and finished within five years, a mandate presumably related to the fact that Paris will host the Olympics in 2024. Preservationists have extensive records of earlier restorations and the best technology for the task at their fingertips, so restoring the cathedral could be straightforward. ![]() While the sight of Notre-Dame de Paris on fire a month ago shocked the world, the cathedral has been under siege many a time-and has been rebuilt and restored at great length more than once. ![]()
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