How did Eugène Viollet-le-Duc restore Notre Dame in Paris?

For his restorations of churches and cathedrals, Viollet-le-Duc designed not only architecture, but new altars and furnishings. His new furnishings were installed in the sacristy of Notre-Dame, and his neo-Gothic altar was placed in the restored Cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand.

When did Viollet-le-Duc restore Notre Dame?

Vézelay Abbey: Viollet-le-Duc's First Restoration Project In 1830, the French authorities created a new job: Inspector of Historic Monuments. The appointed person was in charge of inventorying France's built heritage and allowing funds for their conservation and restoration.

What was the work of Viollet-le-Duc on Notre Dame?

Viollet-le-Duc's Architecture Well educated in France and Italy, when he was only 24 he was given the important task, of restoring La Madeleine at Vezelay Abbey, an undertaking soon followed by restoration work in Sainte Chapelle (1241-48) and Notre Dame in Paris, the cathedral of Narbonne and St Denis.

What was Viollet-le-Duc’s philosophy of preservation?

He wrote the following in his dictionary: “to restore a building is not to preserve, repair, or rebuild it; it is to re-instate it in a condition of completeness that never could have existed at any given time” (Viollet-le-Duc & Wethered, 1875: 9).

How old was the spire of Notre Dame?

1220 to 1230 The original spire was built from 1220 to 1230. It was supported by an "ingenious" and "well designed" system of frames, according to an examination of its remains after it was taken down. All of the spire's weight rested on the four pillars of the transept. This spire also functioned as a bell tower.

What is stylistic restoration?

Stylistic restoration refers to considering the original style of a heritage building in any work carried out to the building.

What is structural rationalism?

The origin of the idea of “structural rationalism” belongs to the period of total classicism domination. This idea is related to the rational recognition of the structure of Gothic architecture. The basic principles of structural rationalism were formulated by the middle of the XIX century.