Notre-Dame de Paris: After the Fire, The Covering of the Cathedral has Began

General News
Notre-Dame Cathedral is being covered in Tarpaulin to protect it from the elements

After the fire, tarpaulins over Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral were launched on Tuesday 23rd April 2019. The operation could last several weeks.

The tarpaulin works of Notre-Dame de Paris began on Tuesday 23rd April, 2019, beginning with the interior of the cathedral , while the return of rain is expected Wednesday in Paris, we learned from the head of the communication of the cathedral.

“We’ll start with the choir, then the nave”

“The work of tarpaulin has begun,” said AFP communication officer Notre Dame, Andre Finot.


“We will start with the choir, then the nave.”

Degradation and subsidence that is likely to cause water runoff on the building and the works still in it are feared, while significant amounts of water have already been dumped into the building by firefighters to extinguish the giant fire of April 15th.

As is the case in this type of construction, a kind of huge “umbrella” must be installed to protect the building permanently from the weather, time for the workers to carry out the reconstruction work. This installation could take weeks.

Rebuild Notre-Dame in five years, is it credible?

President Emmanuel Macron has set a goal that the reconstruction of the cathedral be completed within five years. A delay tenable in the eyes of many experts, but too short, according to others, in particular because of delays expertises.

According to various architects interviewed, the phase prior to the actual work should be the longest and the most complex: it must first clear, put out of water, sanitize, investigate the causes of the disaster, consolidate the fragile parts, make evaluations on the desired work, then launch tenders, and, for the selected companies, prepare the site (scaffolding, etc.).

To this will be added the international competition of architects for the reconstruction of the spire. Secondly, modern technologies should make it possible to complete the project fairly quickly.

Initial works commence on Notre-Dame Cathedral
The bas-relief of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral begins on April 23, 2019. (© AFP / KENZO TRIBOUILLARD)

The debris will be combed

Accidental origin (short circuit in particular) is preferred . But the cause for the moment is not clear, and burnt debris will be combed for any clue.

The thesis of a malicious action seems very unlikely even if it has been mentioned, especially in right-wing parties and extreme right, like Nicolas Dupont-Aignan’s Debout la France.

Compensation for property destroyed during the rescue of the building begins to be mentioned. Bishop Patrick Chauvet, Rector of the Cathedral, announced his intention to “file a complaint for involuntary destruction”, so that “the insurance works” for the property belonging to the Church inside the building, we learned from the diocese.

The bas-relief of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral begins on April 23, 2019.
The bas-relief of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral begins on April 23, 2019. (© AFP / KENZO TRIBOUILLARD)

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