Oxford dictionary defines a time capsule as “a container storing a selection of objects chosen as being typical of the present time, buried for discovery in the future.” So, essentially, it is a piece of history that serves as an informant for future generations. If looked upon closely, architecture does the same, as British historian A.L. Rowse said, “one might regard architecture as history arrested in stone.” It reflects narratives, ideologies of the people that existed at different points in time, societal structures, etc. It often serves as a sturdy reminder to stay grounded despite the pace at which the world is advancing. Restoration of architecture carries forward the historical legacy and the associated emotional and cultural connections.
The Story of Notre Dame
Imagine crossing the Seine River through a Gothic bridge and coming to a halt before Notre Dame. Standing on the paved road next to the restoration workshop and gazing at the rose windows and gargoyles on the facade. It is not just an iconic cathedral, but it transports one through time, as if it’s a time capsule.
The Timeline
It all began when the Gallo-Roman boatmen of the city built an altar to worship Jupiter, the god of the sky. Soon after, when Christianity was established, the first cathedral, St. Etienne, was built on this temple site. This was the sixth century.
By the 12th century, the city became a hub of intellectual and artistic exchange, blooming with multiple colleges and a university that taught philosophy. During this time, group movements were seen since the Crusades were moving to Jerusalem to access the shrines associated with Jesus. Pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela to see the tomb of St. James were also added to these movements. All of these groups crossed the Ile de la Cité and were agents that brought along commercial and religious activity throughout the island. Around this time, Maurice du Sully became the bishop, and he decided to construct a new, bigger Notre Dame Cathedral to accommodate all the faithful. “Flying Buttresses” were invented during this restoration and construction.
The relics of Christ were brought back by St. Louis and carried to Notre Dame by the king. These relics included the prestigious crown of thorns that Christ wore when he was crucified.
Then came the French Revolution, which inevitably caused damage to the cathedral. This damaged cathedral was all set to be sold in an auction to a building materials merchant until Napoleon annulled the sale and declared that it would be redecorated for his coronation. Viollet-le-Duc took over the responsibility of restoring the monument.
In the 17th century, the kingdom was placed under the protection of the Virgin, and in the 18th century, a new altar was built by Louis XIV. Some overall restorations were also seen under him.
In 1945, the GI memorial service for President Roosevelt was conducted in the cathedral.
Early Restorations
A century later, the repercussions of the constant revolution and natural processes like weathering made the cathedral susceptible to collapse.
Victor Hugo’s novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” explored how features of the Notre dame were replaced and somehow transcended into less thoughtful versions of themselves. This reflects a feeling of fear that the invention of the printing press would lead to the replacement of building artistry.
The fact that this book was written is a true example of how architecture becomes more than a building. It ingrains itself in the daily lives of people. People start picking up habits and rituals, or associate some important life event with the said building. Over the years, cultures sprout out of these rituals and are passed down generationally, and architecture remains at the core of many such traditions. This book got so famous that it sparked conversation and finally led to the restoration work of Notre Dame.
In 2019, during one of such restoration efforts, a fire broke out that destroyed the framework. The reconstruction of this cathedral has been going on, and in December 2024, it was opened to the public again, but the construction won’t be complete until 2026.
Post-Fire Restoration Efforts
The famous original truss (the forest) was a crafted network of oak beams. To recreate this, significant timber pieces were collected from private citizens to state-owned forests and assembled to form a similar-looking truss. Craftsmen from across the world gathered on this island, showcased skillsets that were nearly forgotten, and put together the truss. This reconstruction in itself was not simply a process that involved machinery and labor. It was a start for diverse groups of people from different parts of the world to come together and rebuild a structure whose walls carry centuries of history, inventions, traditions, and stories.
This congregation is a testament to how restoring history doesn’t just restore a building, it restores all that the building has stood for, for centuries even. It restores the art and artists and the common man who has, generation after generation, stood in the same place as one does today, and shared a connection with the building, passing on the connection as a piece of verbal history.
Preserving architecture not only preserves a building but also centuries of traditions, respecting the thought and artistry of its creators. It also showcases development through time and ages and affirms the relevance of structures even after years of change, industrialization, urbanization, and multiple factors that could easily have put them out of context.
Citations:
- Ardagh, J.A.C., Erhlich, B. and Daul, K. (2025) Climate of Paris, Encyclopædia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Paris/Climate (Accessed: 20 May 2025).
- Florian, M.-C. (2024) Notre Dame rebuilt: A journey of restoration for France’s iconic cathedral, ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/1024689/notre-dame-rebuilt-a-journey-of-restoration-for-frances-iconiccathedral#:~:text=Notre%20Dame%20Cathedral%20reopened%20on,R%C3%A9mi%20Fromont%20and%20Pascal%20Prunet. (Accessed: 21 May 2025).
- The history of Notre-Dame – Notre-Dame de Paris (2024) Notre. Available at: https://www.notredamedeparis.fr/en/understand/history/ (Accessed: 20 May 2025).
- The Hunchback of notre-dame (2025) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunchback_of_Notre-Dame (Accessed: 20 May 2025).
