Notre Dame, A Story Of Genius, Survival And Wonder
Notre Dame is so beloved that donations poured from around the globe when the tragic fire was barely extinguished. What makes it a world-level wonder?
Who Designed Notre Dame De Paris ?
Unfortunately, we do not know. In 1160, Bishop Maurice de Sully ordered a new cathedral for Paris. Who conceived such a colossal monument?
No trace of the architect's name exists, except perhaps in passing.
Soon after construction started, the Bishop's archives mentioned witnesses, one of whom was a certain Ricardus cementarius, 'Richard, mason.' Could 'Richard' be the genius who envisioned a medieval skyscraper?
A stonemason who defied physics by conceiving a stone monument as if it had no walls to allow for large stained-glass windows?
One must wonder at his powers of imagination as he drew Notre Dame with no guidelines—this was brand new architecture—and little mathematical and engineering knowledge.
He started with sketches on parchment and probably built a wooden model.
Imagine the Bishop and architect's awe and emotion as they looked at Notre Dame’s design, knowing they would never see the cathedral completed.
How Long Did It Take To Build Notre Dame Cathedral ?
In the 1100s and 1200s, churches sprouted all over France as if there were competition for the highest and most beautiful cathedral.
While constructing a cathedral in 30 to 60 years was feasible, Notre Dame took around 80 years to build, as it was, at the time, the largest monument in France. It then took another 100 years to improve.
A Work Of Genius, A Medieval Skyscraper Reinforced With Steel
This new style of architecture aimed to let light enter the church, erecting a monument with almost no walls using a heavy material: stone.
Like a card castle, there may be a moment when it tumbles to the ground, as happened when a cathedral reached 160 feet between the floor and ceiling.
Think of a human ribcage getting crushed. The flying buttresses report the weight away from the 'ribcage,' the church interior's space.
Another genius idea is using steel to contain the forces trying to topple the cathedral, 'stapling' each stone with metal cramps, effectively chaining the entire monument.
Notre Dame is the first medieval cathedral to use steel reinforcements. The restoration proved that the oldest pieces of metal date from the 1160s, the very start of construction.
The first Iron Lady of Paris was not the Eiffel Tower but Notre Dame.
Notre Dame is known worldwide, but her brilliant designer's name has been forgotten.
Recognition For Genius Architects
A century after construction began, two of the geniuses involved in Notre Dame architecture were recognized. Their names are Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil.
Pierre de Montreuil wanted to ensure that his predecessor was remembered, so he had an inscription carved on Notre Dame. It reads :
"The 12th of February 1258, this building was begun in honor of the mother of Christ; Jean de Chelles, then alive, was its master stonemason".
In turn, Pierre de Montreuil was buried in a chapel he designed, depicted in stone with architect's tools. The inscription named him 'doctor stonemason,' or, as we would say today, PhD in architecture.
'Gothic' Is An Insulting Word Meaning Darkness That Cost Notre Dame Its Stained-Glass Windows
The word Gothic refers to the Goths, who were blamed for the destruction of Rome and the Dark Ages. ‘Gothic’ implies that ignorant Goths designed cathedrals.
Branding medieval monuments as barbarian was not without consequence; it is one of the reasons why most of Notre Dame's original stained-glass windows have been destroyed.
By Louis XIV’s time, the Gothic style was not just tasteless; it was “barbarous,” the “odious monster of ignorant centuries.”
Being labeled Gothic, meaning from the age of darkness—not helped by centuries of accumulated soot—sealed the fate of most of Notre Dame's original stained-glass windows.
In the 1750s, the clergy of Notre Dame thought the cathedral was too dark and ordered the medieval windows replaced with white glass.
Fortunately, the two immense rose windows were spared and survived the 2019 inferno a few meters above.
Notre Dame Is A Marvel Of Light And Color, Not Darkness
Enter Notre Dame on a sunny day and experience being bathed in a kaleidoscope of colors as light passes through the rose window.
The design means to raise one’s mind's eyes toward something higher, transforming sunlight into divine light.
In the words of a medieval visitor, being in such a place brings:
"such degree of beauty that entering it one feels like being taken to heaven and imagines being introduced into one of Paradise's most beautiful rooms."
The stained-glass windows are gem-set tapestries of color, a preview of Heavenly Jerusalem, described as:
"made of pure gold, as pure as glass.
The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone."
Rather than insulting talented architects by labeling them ignorant Goths, we should recognize them as inventors of a 'Medieval Architecture of Light.'
They created slender, illuminated jewelry boxes using stone, a heavy material.
If they had steel beams, cathedrals might have been as bright and translucent as railway stations and as tall as the Empire State Building.
Surviving The French Revolution
The Revolution was a power struggle between two factions: the nobility and Church on one side and 'the people', 98% of the country, on the other.
At the 1789 tax reform meeting, the people had only one vote, while the nobility and clergy had two-thirds.
A violent reshuffle ensued, where many nobles and priests ended up on the scaffold. Castles and churches were sold off stone by stone.
A cathedral of similar age as Notre Dame and one of the biggest churches ever built became giant quarries.
Bronze statues and the lead of stained-glass windows were melted into cannons. Saint Germain des Prés church became a saltpeter factory; a spark turned it into a big ball of fire.
The mob attacked Notre Dame and threw the large statues of Kings—Old Testament Kings—to the ground. The cathedral was used as a wine depot. Fortunately, even cheap wine doesn't quickly explode.
Yet, the disrepair was such that the spire, which was risking collapse, was removed.
Victor Hugo Saved Notre Dame
Victor Hugo singlehandedly saved Notre Dame by writing a monumental love letter, a book titled “Notre Dame de Paris."
Its first words mourn the fact the cathedral's existence was under threat:
"For it is thus people have been in the habit of proceeding with the marvellous churches of the Middle Ages for the last two hundred years.
Mutilations come to them from every quarter, from within as well as from without.
The priest whitewashes them, the archdeacon scrapes them down; then the populace arrives and demolishes them".
And if that was not clear enough, Hugo added that "the church will, perhaps, itself soon disappear from the face of the earth."
That wasn't poetic license. By the 1830s, when Hugo wrote, it had dangerously become cheaper to tear down a dark ‘gothic' vestige than maintain it.
Hugo's skill at weaving fiction and history reminded the French people that their ancestors built Notre Dame, not Kings or priests.
One book helped them accept that their taxes should go toward repairing it.
Enduring German Bombs
Then came the First World War and the German bombing campaign. In 1914, the invading army relentlessly shelled the city of Reims, aiming almost 300 bombs at the cathedral, which was seriously damaged.
A German plane flew above Notre Dame and dropped three bombs. One fell through the roof and started to burn one beam.
Fortunately, the fire was quickly extinguished.
In 1918, colossal German canons mercilessly bombarded Paris. Barely a mile away from Notre Dame, they shelled a church, killing 92 worshipers during mass.
Bombs got closer to Notre Dame, falling around the cathedral.
In 1944, Hitler ordered that “Paris must not fall into the hands of the enemy, or if it does, he must find there nothing but a field of ruins.”
The Nazis didn't manage to ignite the explosives, but they did bomb Paris, and Notre Dame bears the bullet marks of the Liberation.
Overcoming The 2019 Fire
It was a quiet spring day until the piercing sound of multiple fire engine sirens resonated over Paris. Seeing dark smoke over the city's center, Parisians knew something terrible was happening.
Dumbstruck onlookers pondered whether they could believe their eyes.
By nightfall, the wind pushed the flames toward the towers.
This was the most critical moment, as inside wooden structures held bells weighing several tons.
Like a domino effect, if the bells fell, the towers would collapse, and the entire cathedral would tumble.
An empty building is not worth risking firefighters' lives. But this was Notre Dame, and the General commanding the firefighters explained:
"The stakes are very simple. Tomorrow morning, at dawn, will there still be Notre Dame towers, or will there be nothing left but a pile of smoking ruins?
Between these two visions, a cathedral still standing or a pile of ruins, there is this operation that risks costing the lives of several dozen firefighters".
A commando of twenty firefighters rushed up wearing breathing equipment. Inside the North tower, flames ten meters high burned the wood structure holding hefty bells.
It was impossible to extinguish the fire from outside. The only way to fight it was to enter the inferno.
In the firefighters' words, they were like matches in front of a dragon—an 800°C (1470°F) monster. One man fell through the wooden floor, saved by the stuck air bottle.
Had they reached the towers fifteen minutes later, the rubble would have become their memorial.
They, along with 600 men and women firefighters, saved Notre Dame.
The cathedral was still vulnerable, as the accumulated effects of fire, water, and structural losses meant it could still disintegrate.
Only when wooden reinforcements to the flying buttresses and columns were added could the architect in charge get some sleep.
Notre Dame De Paris, A Living Wonder
You may ask, where’s the promised moment of wonder? Start by appreciating that English uses "it" for a living animal but "she" for a boat.
Notre Dame is French for Our Lady. Ladies aren’t things, are they?
You may say that stone is not a living thing. The founder of the Catholic Church may have something to tell you about "living stones being built into a spiritual house."
And the firefighter General would add:
"It's very curious. I participated in rescuing dozens of buildings, but it is the first time I feel this: I almost feel that Notre Dame is alive."
Hence, there are many reasons why Notre Dame isn't a thing. She witnessed centuries of genius, tragedy, and wonder.
She has been part of the life stories of Parisians who worshipped there for over 800 years. Today, millions worldwide went to Paris on holiday or a honeymoon.
When reminiscing about these happy times, they visualize Notre Dame.
Even Parisians who have never set foot inside see her as part of the city's fabric, hence the shock when a black cloud hovered over Paris.
Notre Dame makes a deep impression on children. She is in the center of one of the most visited cities in the world, attracting 14 million visitors annually.
Many kids are dragged there against their will, fearing it will be a bore.
Once inside, they see the scale of the cathedral and the immense rose windows, from which spots of multi-colored light sprinkle.
Children's jaws drop; then they smile, trying to catch the drops of color.
Being in awe at a monument for the first time means Notre Dame left an imprint they will never forget.
English speakers should affectionately talk of Notre Dame as a "she" instead of an "it."
She is neither a mere pile of stone nor a barbarian-made monument. Notre Dame is a living wonder.
Sources:
Please consider making a donation to Paris' firefighters’ official charitable fund, to help them and their families https://oeuvresocialepompiersparis.fr/
Note that the website is only in French. DON UNIQUE means one-off payment, and DON MENSUEL means monthly payment. Click FAIRE UN DON to confirm.
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