A timeline of the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris

Five years after a fire ripped through one of the world’s most famous religious buildings, the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is set to fully reopen as reconstruction work finishes.

The reopening ceremony is set for Saturday 7 December. Hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, around 50 national heads of state will also be present, as well as US President-elect Donald Trump.

After the official reopening, Paris’ famous cathedral will once again be open to the public. It’s been a long journey for Notre Dame, since the images of it burning were seared into the minds of Francophiles worldwide on 15 April 2019.

Here’s a timeline of the reconstruction work (and a bit of backstory):

1163 – Construction begins

In the 12th century, the Bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully, decided that the city needed a grander cathedral to suit the needs of the growing capital. Work began in 1163 and was largely considered completed by 1260, although it has been routinely updated since then.

Since its completion, Notre Dame has been considered a definitive example of French Gothic architecture. The church has been the stage for iconic moments in history, both real (Napoleon’s coronation) and fictional (Victor Hugo’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’).

15 April 2019 – The fire

Fire had long been a concern for those in care of Notre Dame. Erosion had made many of the roof timbers overly susceptible and there were multi-million-euro renovation works being done on the main spire.

A little after 6pm on 15 April, a fire broke out in the attic. Due to problems with the fire alarm system, it wasn’t discovered until far too late and the fire services weren’t immediately informed, allowing the fire to spread across the roof and spire.

Firefighters were at the scene within 10 minutes of notification and started fighting the fire from the inside – a riskier position for the individuals but deemed necessary as water drops from above could further damage the building.

One of the most haunting images of the fire was the spire falling as it was engulfed in flames. In part, this was due to firefighters prioritising the two towers. Had they been damaged to the point of the heavy bells falling, the resulting damage could have destroyed the entire building.

The fire burned to the next morning, by which time Macron had already promised he’d see Paris’ iconic cathedral rebuilt.

25 April 2019 – Safe for re-entry

Investigators first entered Notre Dame 10 days after the fire. By this time, a formal investigation was already underway into the causes of the fire.

From the day after the fire, prosecutors confirmed that there wasn’t evidence of someone deliberately starting the fire. Construction firm Le Bras Frères, which was in charge of the restoration of the spire pre-fire, did, however, confirm that some workers had smoked while working on the scaffolding but that the fire was not the result of a cigarette butt.

15 July 2019 – First mass after the fire

Two months on from the devastation, then-Archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit, held the first mass inside the Cathedral’s walls.

Held on the anniversary of the cathedral's dedication as a place of prayer, around 30 people attended in the Chapel of the Virgin, one of the small chapels within the building unaffected by the fire.

The next day, on 16 July, France’s parliament approved a law that governs the restoration of the spire and recognised the building’s UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

30 May 2020 – Forecourt re-opens

After a year of work, the forecourt where people had gathered to take in the cathedral for centuries before re-opened. Following the fire, several deep cleaning operations took place to remove toxic lead dust.

The re-opening had been slightly delayed by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on workers in the previous months.

August 2021 – Safety measures conclude

After over two years of cleaning and safety measures, work to reconstruct the destroyed spire, roof, vault and nave could begin.

August marked the end of a long process costing €165 million to secure the cathedral, ensuring there was no further damage to the building and creating a position from which it could then be restored.

These works included lead decontamination, fortifying the gables to protect three large rose windows, fortifying the damaged pillars of the nave, reinforcing the flying buttresses, wrapping and protecting gargoyles, and removing the burnt scaffolding that had previously surrounded the spire.

18 August 2022 – Jean-Louis Georgelin dies

French army general Jean-Louis Georgelin, who had served as the Chief of Defence Staff from 2006 to 2010, was appointed the special representative to oversee Notre Dame’s reconstruction in 2020.

Georgelin died, aged 74, falling from a mountain during an Alpine hike. In his place, civil servant Philippe Jost was appointed to oversee the works.

3 September 2022 – Restoration of stained glass windows

The 170-year-old stained glass windows were able to withstand the heat of the fire, but were soiled by the excessive smoke and dust it emitted. Eight glass manufacturers were tasked with restoring the 39 high windows from the cathedral’s nave.

16 December 2023 – A new spire and golden rooster

A golden rooster, long held as a national emblem of France, managed to survive the fire despite being placed atop the destroyed spire. Despite that, a new one was created and transported to the top of the newly reconstructed spire.

Earlier that week, on 8 December, Macron visited the cathedral as the new spire emerged. New Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich blessed the rooster as it was lifted to its new home at the top of the Notre Dame.

12 February 2024 – Spire scaffolding comes down

With its new golden rooster in place, just a couple of months later the scaffolding could come down to reveal the entirety of the new spire. One of the biggest symbols of the fire’s destruction had been rectified.

8 March 2024 – The roof is completed

After a huge amount of work, which saw 12,000 oak trees felled, the roof was completed. First the choir’s frame was put together, which was completed in January, before the nave’s roof was finally filled in.

12 September 2024 – Return of the bells

Removed from the towers during reconstruction, the bells that could have seen the entire building collapse were finally returned in September.

A convoy of trucks bearing eight restored bells – the heaviest of which weighs more than 3,500 kg – pulled into the huge worksite surrounding the monument.

7 December 2024 – The grand re-opening

With the finishing touches to the interior completed, Macron has made his final visits ahead of the grand re-opening this weekend.

High points will be the ritualised reopening of the cathedral's massive doors, the reawakening of its thunderous organ and the celebration of the first Mass. For both France and the Catholic Church, the televised and tightly scripted ceremonies will be an opportunity to display can-do resilience and global influence.

During part one of Notre Dame's rebirth on Saturday evening, Archbishop Laurent Ulrich will lead more than 1,500 guests through a reopening service. Part two, on Sunday, is an inaugural Mass, with special rites to consecrate the main altar.

Ulrich will first reopen Notre Dame's great doors – by tapping them with his crosier, or bishop's staff. In response to the archbishop's door-knocks, the cathedral will erupt into song, its choirs once again filling the cavernous spaces. That back-and-forth will happen three times. The doors will then open so guests can stream inside past their sculptures of biblical figures.

The voice of Notre Dame's great organ hasn't been heard in public since the blaze coated the nearly 8,000 pipes with toxic dust released when the lead roofing burned.