The iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is set to welcome back its eight bells, marking a significant milestone ahead of its reopening in December, five years after a devastating fire. The bells, including the 4-ton Gabriel, were removed for restoration and cleaning, particularly from lead dust following the fire. Restored in a Normandy foundry, where they were originally made in 2013, the bells are now ready to be reinstalled in the cathedral’s north tower. This move signifies a step closer to the cathedral’s much-anticipated reopening to the public, scheduled for December 7th, following a comprehensive restoration effort.
- The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is preparing to reinstall its eight bells, removed for restoration after the 2019 fire.
- Among the bells, Gabriel, the largest, weighs over 4 tons, while the smallest, Jean Marie, weighs 782 kilos.
- The bells were cleaned and restored at a foundry in Normandy, the same location where they were originally created in 2013.
- Two of the bells, Gabriel and Marcel, underwent significant restoration, including crack repair and annealing.
- The bells were blessed by the cathedral’s rector upon their return to Paris and will soon be hoisted back to their positions in the north tower.
- Testing of the bells will precede their official ringing on December 7th, marking the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral to the public.
- The cathedral has a total of 20 bells, historically rung to mark major events and periods of mourning.
- A new Olympic Bell, rung at the Paris summer games, will join the existing bells in one of the cathedral’s bell towers.
- The restoration of Notre Dame involved 250 construction companies and hundreds of craftsmen and craftswomen.
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