Fire destroys the roof and spire of Notre-Dame de Paris
Fire takes hold in the roof space of the cathedral, destroying the 19th-century spire and almost all of the medieval oak roof frame and breaching the vault in places. The stone vaults, doing what vaults do, held most of the burning timber out of the interior. The reconstruction that follows rebuilds the roof frame in hand-hewn oak with traditional joints rather than in steel, making the restoration an unplanned demonstration of medieval carpentry at scale.
Historical — it happened, and the record is settled.
Subjects
- Notre-Dame de Paris · site · France
- The Gothic rib vault · technology system · Western Europe · not located
Evidence
Partly verified — Core facts are sourced; some optional detail is deliberately absent.
Restoration and reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris
Fire on 15 April 2019 destroyed the 19th-century spire and the medieval roof frame; the roof frame was rebuilt in oak using traditional carpentry, and the cathedral reopened for worship on 8 December 2024 with associated works continuing. V55 verification basis: no French government domain was reachable in this session; dates are stated from established record and the status of works as of August 2026 is NOT established.
Etablissement public Rebatir Notre-Dame de Paris / French Ministry of Culture · fire 15 April 2019; reopening 8 December 2024 · Partly verified
Etablissement public chargé de la conservation et de la restauration de la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris (Rebatir Notre-Dame de Paris), programme record
Recorded on Notre-Dame de Paris
- Durham roofs a great nave with ribbed vaults
- Suger's choir at Saint-Denis is consecrated
- Notre-Dame de Paris is begun
- The high vaults of Chartres close at about 36-37 m
- Fire destroys the roof and spire of Notre-Dame de Paris
- Notre-Dame de Paris reopens for worship
Related
Related because they share a subject in the Atlas — never because the text looks similar.
- Notre-Dame de Paris reopens for worship · 2024-12-08
- The high vaults of Chartres close at about 36-37 m · c. 1220
- Notre-Dame de Paris is begun · 1163
- Suger's choir at Saint-Denis is consecrated · 1144
- Durham roofs a great nave with ribbed vaults · c. 1093-1133