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Northeastern experts say the building symbolizes France’s layered history, blending faith, national pride and a Gothic legacy that’s reimagined with the restoration.
In 2019, the world watched in horror as a fire engulfed the roof of Notre-Dame cathedral, burning significant portions of the historic French landmark.
On Dec. 7, after years of restoration work, the cathedral will reopen for the first time since the blaze, marking the occasion with a special ceremony attended by dignitaries followed by eight days of special masses and prayers.
According to reports, the restoration took over 2,000 people, 2,000 days, required 2,000 oak trees’ worth of wood, and led to over 2,000 features being restored and rebuilt — and cost millions of euros.
The blaze and subsequent reopening will serve as a new chapter in the history of the 800-year-old cathedral, one that has become significant as a national symbol, Northeastern University experts say.
“(Notre Dame’s) great importance is not only as a monument of architecture, but also as a national symbol,” said Lucy Maulsby, an associate professor of architecture at Northeastern University. “Its importance and cultural value really transcends its materials and forms. It’s much more about the layered history that it embodies and its capacity … to stand as a marker and symbol of a place and a capital city, which thus stands for a nation.”
Construction on Notre Dame cathedral began in the 12th century. Prior to this, the site had housed Saint-Etienne Cathedral, which served as a site for Christian worship since the fourth century.
In 1159, the bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully, came up with the idea of converting the cathedral into a Gothic-style house of worship. During this time, according to Chloe McKenzie, an assistant professor of medieval history at Northeastern’s London campus, there were more people embarking on crusades and pilgrimages, making Paris “a really important city of transition” for travelers going from the British Isles and other parts of France to Jerusalem and parts of Spain.
At the same time, King Louis VII embarked on a crusade to Jerusalem and returned to France with religious relics that became central to the cathedral’s appeal.
The first stone of the cathedral was laid in 1163. Construction continued into the 14th century, when the cathedral was finally completed. It became a notable example of Gothic architecture, bearing many trademarks of the style, Maulsby said. This includes the iconic round stained glass windows, its flying buttresses and its rich sculpting and ornamentation throughout the design.
Over time, the cathedral has become more than just a house of worship, but a symbol of France, Maulsby said. It’s been the site of important events in history, such as the crowning of Napoleon and the marriage of French royals, including Mary, Queen of Scots, to Francis II of France and Marguerite de Valois to Henry of Navarre. (The latter set the stage for the devastating Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day, which was part of the civil war between French Catholics and Protestants.)
“There have been times in France history where Notre Dame has been really attacked, during the revolutionary wars, for example,” McKenzie said. “Stained glass windows were destroyed. Relics were destroyed. Cathedrals, medieval cathedrals are often full of statues and imagery, and those were really destroyed during the revolution and the wars of religion as well.”
While the cathedral still holds Catholic services and relics, McKenzie said its status today is also as a symbol of France and its history.
“It had a really central place for … devotional purposes in the past,” McKenzie said. “Today it’s more of a symbol of national pride. Not everybody in France would consider themselves to be a Christian these days, but still, it’s anticipated that half of the population of France is going to visit the newly reopened Notre Dame in the next year or two. They’re not just attending to go and worship God anymore. … It has a symbolic power. There have been items in its history where it’s been very unpopular. … (Today), if you’re going to Paris, you’ve got it on your list of places to go.”
The cathedral’s current renovation is not its first. Major modifications and restorations have happened through the centuries to create the building as it was when the fire struck.
The most recent efforts to repair and restore the cathedral after the fire have been “massive,” according to Maulsby and have expanded beyond just correcting the damage from the fire. Early photos of the renovation show a lighter interior with flawless white marble and restorations made to the frescos and stained glass windows that are associated with the building.
“When we look at Notre Dame as an example of Gothic architecture, it’s one that has already been filtered by the eyes, expectations and cultural interests of a variety of different time periods and personalities,” Maulsby said. “To an extent, this restoration project is adding another layer to that. That’s going to be really shocking. … We think of Notre Dame as a somewhat brooding building. Its spirituality, in a sense, is evoked by this sense of mystery and a dim light that’s filtered through those stained glass windows … but looking at photographs, it’s bright. The marble is clean. It’s light-colored. This wasn’t just a rebuilding of a destroyed roof and spire. It was a much, much more comprehensive and expansive cleaning restoration … and reimagining of the building.”
Maulsby said the building has also been modernized in ways to help preserve it further, including adding sprinkler systems to avoid another fire.
“I’m keen to see how people respond … (and) how the fire is commemorated,” McKenzie said. “Because that’s now a part of the cathedral’s history. … Seeing what elements have they recreated, what parts have they preserved and how will they talk about that fire and what does it represent. But I think it’s so important not just for national identity for the French, but for anybody to have a clear sense of and a clear appreciation of historic sites.”