The bells are back

Eight of Notre-Dame cathedral’s celebrated bells have just been returned to their bell tower and will sound for the reopening in December. 

One of the bells weighs over 4 tonnes and had been removed along with another 7 for repair after the devastating fire wreaked havoc with one of Paris’s most iconic and much-loved buildings in 2019. Thousands of Parisians sobbed uncontrollably as they witnessed their beloved Notre-Dame go up in flames in April 2019. Both the cathedral and the sound of its bells have been a symbol of Parisianness for almost 700 years.

Bells restored at original historic foundry

Now, that the post-fire restoration is almost complete and December 7 has been set for the cathedral’s reopening, the full peel of 20 bells will sound once more. The bells have been cleaned of lead dust from the church’s burning roof and restored at the same foundry that first cast them in Normandy before being returned to Paris.

Teams of specialists have been lovingly repairing the damage from the 2019 fire for the last 5 years and the return of these 8 bells marks a significant new milestone in the completion of the work. Re-installation back into the belfry should take place in the next few weeks. Gabriel, the heaviest of the bells will go up first while the other ‘daintier’, 782kg bells should follow shortly after. There should be 20 bells in all in Notre-Dame including 2 massive ‘bourdons’, one of which in the south tower, weighs 20 tonnes, and is only rung for major events such as a papal visit.

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