When was the cornerstone of Notre-Dame de Paris laid?
Bishop Maurice de Sully laid the cornerstone for a new cathedral on the Île de la Cité in 1163. The project began with the construction of the choir and its two ambulatories.
Questions about Notre-Dame de Paris
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What happened to Notre-Dame de Paris during the French Revolution?
During the French Revolution in 1790, the Revolutionary Paris Commune removed all bronze, lead, and precious metals from the cathedral to be melted down. The cathedral was rededicated in 1793 to the Cult of Reason and then to the Cult of the Supreme Being in 1794.
Who wrote the novel that saved Notre-Dame de Paris from demolition?
Victor Hugo wrote the novel Notre-Dame de Paris in 1831 to save the decaying structure from demolition. King Louis Philippe ordered that the church be restored in 1844 after the book raised awareness of the cathedral's deteriorating state.
How did the fire start at Notre-Dame de Paris on the 15th of April 2019?
The fire broke out in the attic at 18:18 according to investigators when smoke detectors signaled the fire to a cathedral employee who did not summon the fire brigade but instead sent a guard to investigate. The guard went to the wrong location and reported there was no fire before the error was discovered about 15 minutes later.
When did Notre-Dame de Paris reopen after the 2019 fire?
The cathedral reopened on the 7th of December 2024 in a ceremony presided over by Laurent Ulrich attended by 1,500 world leaders including US President-elect Donald Trump. A new gilded cockerel sculpture designed by architect Philippe Villeneuve was installed containing relics from the old flèche as well as names of two thousand people who participated in reconstruction.