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During the French Revolution, Notre Dame was repurposed for secular use, even becoming a wine warehouse.
The fire melted the cathedral’s roof, causing large amounts of lead to settle across Paris. (Photo Credits: X)
The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is set to reopen to the public on Sunday, December 8, after a five-year restoration following a devastating fire. The cathedral, a symbol of Gothic architecture, is also a historic landmark marked by the “point zéro des routes de France” plaque outside, which indicates the starting point for measuring distances across France.
The 2019 fire also uncovered a hidden issue: the release of toxic lead dust into the air. The fire melted the cathedral’s roof, causing large amounts of lead to settle across Paris. This exposed a lack of safety standards regarding outdoor lead pollution, which later led to a major cleanup operation and a review of safety regulations.
As news of Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening spread, people on social media celebrated the restoration of this iconic symbol of Paris.
A, X (formerly Twitter) user shared a picture of the Dame, with the caption, “5 years on from the fire, and Notre Dame is looking better than ever.”
Another shared a clip, writing, “The magnificent rose window of Notre Dame in Paris, freshly restored, in all its magnificent beauty .”
Someone shared a photo featuring all who contributed to the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral over the past five years.
Collective photo of everyone who helped restore the Notre Dame Cathedral over the past five years after the 2019 fire. Set to reopen on December 8th. pic.twitter.com/7eVoPTY1z8
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) December 3, 2024
“Notre Dame is finally back open after 5 years!” a person wrote.
A user shared a GIF with the caption, “Notre Dame Reopening HYYYYYYPE.”
Another shared pictures of the Cathedral, writing, “Notre Dame looking good before next week’s grand reopening.”
During the French Revolution, Notre Dame faced a turbulent period. Revolutionaries stripped it of religious symbols and repurposed it for secular purposes, including science festivals and even as a wine warehouse. It was only in 1795 that religious services resumed, and the cathedral regained its sacred status after Napoleon I’s coronation there in 1804.
The cathedral also holds a mystery: 28 statues decapitated by revolutionaries were rediscovered in 1977, and 22 of the heads are now displayed at the Cluny Museum.
While the cathedral’s gargoyles date back to its construction, the dramatic chimera added in the 19th century by architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc have become iconic. Inspired by Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, these figures are often mistaken for the original gargoyles.
