Notre-Dame de Paris, from builders to restorers

On April 15, 2019, a huge blaze broke out in the cathedral. Following this disaster, a sizable restoration worksite was set up, financed thanks to the generosity of 340,000 donors from 150 countries mobilized right from the night of the fire. The worksite was placed under the responsibility of a dedicated public organization and started on December 1, 2019. The restoration project, presented in July 2020 to the National Commission of Heritage and Architecture and unanimously approved, chose to be faithful to the wounded monument and the authenticity of the materials. It will give Notre-Dame cathedral back to the faithful and visitors from around the world in 2024.

An exceptional human adventure is unfolding in the heart of Paris and in many workshops throughout France: journeymen, craftsmen, architects, engineers and researchers have all been mobilized to bring the edifice to life again. These men and women are from a long line of builders who have shaped the history of this monument, which is a United Nations World Heritage Site.

The fruit of a coproduction between the public organization responsible for the preservation and restoration of the Notre-Dame cathedral, the worksite’s project manager and the Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine, this exhibition provides a privileged link to the edifice, which is inaccessible to the public at the moment. It makes it possible to discover the know-how of the journeymen and fine craftsmen who are working to give the cathedral to religious services and visitors in 2024. Lastly, it is the occasion to highlight the preservation and evolution of the techniques used on heritage restoration worksites.

This exhibition was conceived in co-production with the Etablissement public chargé de la conservation et de la restauration de la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.