Cathedral clergy also celebrated certain “miraculés” – miraculous survivors.
These include the 14th Century statue in the choir known as the Virgin of the Pillar, which narrowly avoided being crushed by falling masonry.
Sixteen massive copper statues of the Apostles and Evangelists, which surrounded the spire, were brought down for renovation just four days before the fire.
After inspecting the devastation the next day, Macron made what to many at the time seemed a rash promise: to have Notre-Dame re-opened for visitors within five years.
A public body to manage the work was created by law, and an appeal for funds brought an immediate response. In all €846m were raised, much from big sponsors but also from hundreds of thousands of small donors.
Responsibility for the task was given to Jean-Louis Georgelin, a no-nonsense army general who shared Macron’s impatience with committees and the “heritage” establishment.
“They’re used to dealing with frigates. This is an aircraft-carrier,” he said.
Georgelin is given universal credit for the project’s undoubted success, but he died in an accident in the Pyrenees in August 2023 and was replaced by Philippe Jost.
An estimated 2,000 masons, carpenters, restorers, roofers, foundry-workers, art experts, sculptors and engineers worked on the project – providing a huge boost for French arts and crafts.
Many trades – such as stone-carving – have seen a big increase in apprenticeships as a result of the publicity.
“[The Notre Dame project] has been the equivalent of a World Fair, in the way it has been a showcase for our craftsmanship. It is a superb shop-window internationally,” said Pascal Payen-Appenzeller, whose association promotes traditional building skills.
The first task of the project was to make the site safe, and then to dismantle the massive tangle of metal scaffolding that had previously surrounded the spire but melted in the fire and fused with the stonework.
Source link
