In Paris, the restoration of Notre-Dame will take a new step. The interior and liturgical redevelopment of the cathedral, partially destroyed in a fire in 2019, will be presented by the diocese on December 9 to the National Commission for Heritage and Architecture (CNPA), responsible for giving its opinion. we learned on Saturday from corroborating sources.
The diocese, in charge of this liturgical reorganization, that is to say the replacement of damaged furniture, lighting and practical support for visitors and faithful within the cathedral, specified this date, also confirmed. by the public establishment in charge of the work of securing and restoring the cathedral.
The diocese wants a faithful restitution of the building
The diocese has also denied information from the foreign press according to which the famous building risked being transformed into an “amusement park” or “denatured” with a lot of contemporary art. On the other hand, he was not in a position to provide more details on the redevelopment on Saturday evening.
The exterior restoration of the cathedral should lead to the faithful restitution of Notre-Dame before the fire. The arrow drawn by Viollet-le-Duc, as it existed, must in particular be rebuilt, in accordance with the opinions formulated by the CNPA in its sessions of July 9, 2020 and March 25, 2021. The faithful and visitors from all over the world should find the monument in 2024, according to the construction schedule.
A first phase at 165 million euros
The first phase of “securing” the building, at a cost of 165 million euros and which was completed this summer, notably allowed the dismantling of the scaffolding which was in place during the fire, the removal of the large organs, the cleaning test sites in two chapels, the installation of wooden hangers under the flying buttresses or the clearing and sorting of remains and the securing of the crossing of the transept.
Wooden framework, lead roofing, stone cutting, masonry, carpentry, painting, gilding, artistic ironwork, stained glass windows and sculptures: the second phase, of the actual restoration, is due to begin this winter. Its budget will be specified after the award of all calls for tenders to candidate companies.