Notre Dame Cathedral: Five Years Later

On April 15, 2019, the 850-year-old Notre Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) caught fire. News outlets around the world shared heartbreaking images of flames engulfing the beloved Parisian landmark. Through tears, shocked onlookers witnessed the blaze claim the roof and the iconic 300-foot spire, its medieval beams made of dry oak, lost forever. The fire continued to incinerate the interior, with emergency workers wrestling late into the night to gain control of the inferno. Forming a human chain, they managed to rescue much of the art and religious relics.  

 In the days that followed, President Emmanuel Macron declared, “We will rebuild.”   

Five years on, it has been announced that on December 8, 2024, this testament to human artistry and ingenuity will finally reopen to the public. In addition, a Te Deum is also planned for April 15, exactly five years after the fire. This marks a new era for the iconic building, its history already layered by generations of modifications, additions, and refinements.   

 Books (Nonfiction and Fiction) 

 Notre-Dame De Paris: History, Art, and Revival From 1163 to Tomorrow by Antonia Felix 

 Notre Dame De Paris: A Celebration of the Cathedral by Kathy Borrus  

 Sacred Spaces: The Awe-inspiring Architecture of Churches and Cathedrals by Guillaume de Laubier 

Cathedrals: Masterpieces of Architecture, Feats of Engineering, Icons of Faith by Simon Jenkins 

The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo (Classic Fiction) 

(Did you know that over two centuries ago, Victor Hugo was instrumental in bringing awareness to the beloved cathedral's disrepair? Check out the book by Kathy Borrus to learn more.) 

 DVD Documentaries

Saving Notre Dame Engineers work to rebuild the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral and protect the medieval structure within five years.  

Rebuilding Notre Dame After the devastating fire in April 2019, which almost destroyed the iconic cathedral – a team of engineers, masons, and timber workers set out on the daunting task of restoring France’s historical landmark.