Paris in race to meet Olympics deadline three years after Notre-Dame blaze
Three years after a devastating fire, Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris has been mostly cleared of soot as an army of craftsmen battles to meet a deadline to reopen in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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On the third anniversary of the blaze Friday, the cleaning of the walls, vaults and floor is almost done, restoring the cathedral to its original whiteness.
The inferno that engulfed the 12th century Gothic landmark on 15 April, 2019, caused its central frame to collapse and ravaged the famous spire, clock and part of the vault.
Before the blaze, the cathedral welcomed nearly 12 million visitors a year. It also hosted 2,400 services and 150 concerts.
The fire triggered an outpouring of generosity with nearly 844 million euros in donations collected from 340,000 donors in 150 countries to date, according to the public body overseeing the restoration.
The gaping hole left in the building is now filled by a forest of scaffolding.
Mammoth project
The first stage of the project involved clearing the rubble and burnt beams, reinforcing the flying buttresses, and removing the deadly dust unleashed from 450 tonnes of lead in the structure.
A temporary metal scaffolding had to be built for the task. That was completed last summer at a cost of 151 million euros.
It was finished on schedule despite a three-month pause in 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many of the tasks have been farmed out to specialist workshops around France.
They include dismantling and cleaning the huge 18th century organ – the largest in France. The instrument escaped the fire but was coated in lead dust.
The stained glass windows, several statues and the 22 large-format paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries have also been sent for restoration.
The next major phase will be to reinstall the medieval wooden framework of the nave and choir, and the 19th century spire. A thousand trees have already been cut down in national and private forests across France in preparation.
Meanwhile, stones are this week being extracted from quarries in Paris to start rebuilding the damaged vaults.
Tests have been carried out on two of the cathedral's 24 chapels to practise the techniques needed to recreate their original colours.
As well as restoring the building to its former glory, the Paris diocese has plans to add a few new touches, integrating contemporary art and old masters, along with a more modern lighting system, moveable benches and biblical phrases projected on the walls in different languages.
A new system for visitors and worshippers will mean that when they return to the cathedral in 2024, they will enter through the large central door rather than side doors.
Sarcophagus discovery
Work was slowed down in March by a surprise find. A human-shaped lead sarcophagus and the remains of a decorative stone dividing barrier from the 14th century were discovered in the ground.
The burial sites "of remarkable scientific quality" were unearthed during preparatory work for rebuilding the cathedral's spire at the central spot where the transept crosses the nave, France's Culture Ministry said.
The coffin might have been made for a dignitary and likely dated from the 1300s – the century following the cathedral's construction.
As well as the tombs, elements of painted sculptures were found just beneath the current floor level of the cathedral, identified as parts of the original 13th century rood screen – an architectural element separating the altar area from the nave.
The sarcophagus was extracted from the cathedral on Tuesday, France's INRAP national archaeological research institute said during a press conference.
It is currently being held in a secure location and will be sent "very soon" to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in the southwestern city of Toulouse.
Cause of the fire?
The fire remains a mystery. Investigations, carried out by the Criminal Brigade under the leadership of three examining magistrates of the Paris Judicial Court, have failed to establish with certainty the cause of the blaze.
It's thought a poorly extinguished cigarette butt or an electrical malfunction may be to blame.
According to the source close to the case, new expert assessments of the rubble have been started and should last several more months.
(with wires)
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