# Rebuilding Notre-Dame cathedral (Paris) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2019, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437 "2019-12-27T03:47:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2022, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/61 "2022-03-16T20:08:12Z")
Something old, something new(s)… > **[Ancient sarcophagus found under Notre Dame cathedral in Paris](https://www.cnn.com/style/article/sarcophagus-notre-dame-cathedral-reuters-scn/index.html)** > > Archaeologists have found an ancient lead sarcophagus under Notre Dame cathedral along with fragments of a rood screen, offering a new insight into the history of the building which is currently under reconstruction after a devastating fire in 2019. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2022, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/62 "2022-03-16T21:16:43Z")
What is causing the delay? I understand that things take time, but it has been almost three years and it seems that next to nothing has been done. Is it bureaucracy or a lack of funding? ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/63 "2022-03-17T00:24:42Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > it has been almost three years Three years is nothing when it comes to restoring a building of that size, complexity, age, and historical value. It takes a huge amount of work. Watch the video in that article. It’s scheduled to be finished in 2024, but that’s probably optimistic. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/64 "2022-03-17T05:15:17Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > it seems that next to nothing has been done That would be wrong. Quite a lot has been done. It’s just most of the “quite a lot” is cleaning up debris and investigating and repairing damage. That’s not nothing. Wouldn’t do if they just slapped a new roof on there but it turns out heat stress cracks in the limestone can’t take the weight, and the whole thing collapses… The latest National Geographic has quite a good article on it. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/65 "2022-03-17T09:49:59Z")
Here’s some up to date reporting: > **[Latest Reconstruction Progress 2023 | Notre-Dame Restoration](https://www.friendsofnotredamedeparis.org/reconstruction-progress/)** > > Follow Notre Dame reconstruction progress, restoration progress, rebuild status, repairs, repair progress, news of Notre Dame today and Notre Dame updates They had a huge job just to remove safely the old fire-damaged scaffolding and to provide temporary shoring up of the buttresses. Then they had to source and cut wood for the replacement roof beams, while they sorted out how much of the detritus in the interior could be re-used, and how much needed replacing. Plus of course surveying the remaining structure for stability and safety. And I’d imagine Covid set them back a bit. ---
**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/66 "2022-03-17T13:15:57Z")
Notre Dame itself took just over a century to build, and many cathedrals took several centuries. Even with modern construction techniques and equipment, you have to be very diligent working with an ancient and fragile non-reinforced masonry building that’s been damaged. Slow and meticulous is the name of the game. I have to fight the same perception with contemporary home construction too. Once the foundation is in, framing goes by relatively quickly. Then it seems like everything stops for weeks if not months, but there’s a ton of work that goes into roughing in all the mechanical systems (electric, A/V, security, plumbing, heating and air conditioning). There’s numerous inspections of all those systems too, but the client gets upset because “nobody was at the jobsite today” even though nobody could do anything until the inspector (who’s backlogged) approves the work so drywall can go up. We’re also seeing huge delays on some critical components like windows (5-6 months), cabinetry (5-6 months), and kitchen appliances (10-11 months). I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re running into similar bottlenecks in Paris on some seemingly innocuous part or material. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/67 "2022-03-17T13:57:51Z")
Since my initial donation, I keep getting fundraising letters from the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris. I wrote back last year, asking if all the French billionaires who’d pledged big donations have actually followed through, but the group didn’t respond. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/68 "2022-03-17T16:17:40Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > Three years is nothing when it comes to restoring a building of that size, complexity, age, and historical value. It takes a huge amount of work. Watch the video in that article. > > It’s scheduled to be finished in 2024, but that’s probably optimistic. Obviously, it would be awesome to have it reopened in time for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, which is probably why that is the target date. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/69 "2022-03-17T16:20:15Z")
> [@jjakucyk](#): > > We’re also seeing huge delays on some critical components like windows (5-6 months), cabinetry (5-6 months), and kitchen appliances (10-11 months). I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re running into similar bottlenecks in Paris on some seemingly innocuous part or material. And in the case of the cathedral, anything like a window or cabinetry is likely custom. (When the windows and cabinets were originally made, there was no such thing as standard sizes or even the metric system.) ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/70 "2022-03-17T17:27:07Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And in the case of the cathedral, anything like a window or cabinetry is likely custom. Understatement of the year. Every single item will have to be made as a one-off to conservation standards. My mother lived in an almshouse, built 400 years after Notre Dame but when her window frames were finally condemned as too rotten to repair, it took nine months for the specialist company to make replacements. ---
**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/71 "2022-03-17T17:45:05Z")
Funny thing, in some cases with long lead times on manufactured goods caused by critical components held up by shipping or customs delays, or shutdowns in offshore factories, it can be faster to get things custom made since local craftspeople can just YOLO some parts if they have to. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/72 "2022-03-17T17:52:52Z")
> [@jjakucyk](#): > > it can be faster to get things custom made since local craftspeople can just YOLO some parts if they have to What does “YOLO” mean here? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/73 "2022-03-17T18:03:49Z")
Absolutely, but as you said there are specialists who specialise in the right tools, materials, and techniques. I met one bloke like that, and it seems he is pretty busy travelling all over the world to work on various historical structures. Do not know if he is working on Notre Dame now. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/74 "2022-03-17T18:09:31Z")
Crafting replacement parts for medieval buildings is a pretty specialized area. About ten years ago I was visiting a cathedral in the UK (York Minster, I believe) which was having some extensive work done at one end. The craftspeople doing the masonry work (lots of stone cutting and shaping) travel all over Europe to the various restoration sites as their services are needed. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/75 "2022-03-17T19:12:15Z")
I wondered why this site didn’t have a French version. It turns out [friendsofnotredamedeparis.org](http://friendsofnotredamedeparis.org) is a U.S.-based fundraiser. It was set up initially for some specific restoration work on Notre-Dame, and then the fire happened. So they may not know much about pledges and donations from European one-percenters. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/76 "2022-03-17T19:19:31Z")
As an aside, where is the current seat of the Diocese of Paris? I assume they just picked some other large church in the city, and temporarily moved the cathedra there. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/77 "2022-03-17T19:27:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > (When the windows and cabinets were originally made, there was no such thing as standard sizes or even the metric system.) True but the cathedral hasn’t exactly been kept in pristine condition through the years. Most of the cabinetry would not likely date much more than a century and a half (well after the metric system). Notre Dame was ransacked and left to rot after the Revolution before there was a movement to restore it in the mid to late 19th century. Continuous renovation is more or less normal for cathedrals even in the best of times. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/78 "2022-03-17T20:09:09Z")
You Only Live Once. > **[YOLO (aphorism)](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/YOLO_(aphorism))** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > "YOLO" is an acronym for "you only live once". Along the same lines as the Latin carpe diem ('seize the day'), it is a call to live life to its fullest extent, even embracing behavior which carries inherent risk. It became a popular internet slang term in 2012. > Similar phrases have been in use for more than a century, including these: > One of the earliest known examples of the acronym relates to Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart's ranch in Calif... ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/79 "2022-03-17T20:27:25Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > As an aside, where is the current seat of the Diocese of Paris? I assume they just picked some other large church in the city, and temporarily moved the cathedra there. According to [this site](https://en.parisinfo.com/practical-paris/info/guides/notre-dame-the-current-situation), masses are held at Saint Germain l’Auxerrois, which is not far away and across from the Louvre. But I would imagine they kept the seat at Notre-Dame itself. And it’s not like they wouldn’t have other Diocese offices around the city for day to day business. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437/80 "2022-03-17T21:56:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > where is the current seat of the Diocese of Paris? I am not sure that they actually have an Archbish ATM. > Michel Aupetit in 2019. Michel Aupetit (born 23 March 1951) is a French prelate of the Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Paris from 2018 to 2021, when he **resigned following reports of a relationship with a woman in 2012**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuilding-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/845437.md?page=5)