Restoring Notre-Dame de Paris

Magnum photographer Patrick Zachmann was on the scene when the disastrous fire erupted in Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral on the evening of April 15, 2019. At the time he did not yet know that he would continue to document the events at the cathedral over the months that followed.

Eventually, he clambered along scaffolding and up and down steep stairs, and he would, from atop an aerial work platform, discover hitherto unknown aspects of Notre-Dame, its new silhouette, and the artistic gems that survived.

Zachmann was granted privileged access to the worksite early on, and from the very first weeks after the disaster, he takes us along on one of the most exciting construction sites in the world. He also provides us with a deep dive into history and invites us on a captivating and moving visit to a building that has been torn apart and for which scientists and craftspeople alike are caring, motivated to breathe new life into it.

Throughout these pages, his photographs document an extraordinary human adventure, and his diary entries shed an intimate light on the experience.

In addition, cathedral historian Olivier de Châlus provides the historical context, both to elucidate the mysteries surrounding the medieval construction site and to illuminate the paradoxes regarding the building’s restoration.

This beautiful book is a genuine ode to a monument rich in symbolism and secrets.