Notre-Dame: Restoration of the Western Rose Window and the North Facade Begins

The public agency Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris has announcedthe launch of two new restoration projects for the Paris cathedral. The work will focus on the large rose window on the western facade, facing the churchyard, and the entire northern facade of the transept along Rue du Cloître-Notre-Dame. These projects are part of the next phase of the building’s conservation program, following the work that repaired the damage caused by the 2019 fire and allowed the cathedral to reopen to the public on December 7 and 8, 2024.

The new interventions aim to address deterioration that has accumulated over the centuries and damage caused by exposure to the elements. The restoration of the western rose window and the north facade marks the beginning of a conservation plan developed by the public agency and formalized in March 2026 through a master plan divided into twelve separate phases, which will be carried out between 2026 and 2033.

The order of the projects was determined based on the urgency of the various issues and the optimization of overall costs, with particular attention to construction site infrastructure, such as scaffolding. The entire program has an estimated cost of approximately 150 million euros, a figure that includes projections for future inflation. Of this amount, approximately 130 million euros still need to be raised through contributions from patrons and donors.

According to a statement from the organization, the launch of this new phase was made possible both by donations collected after the fire and by the financial management of the work already completed or currently underway, which has kept costs under control. The financial management of the project also received a positive assessment from the French Court of Auditors.

Since the cathedral’s reopening, other exterior construction projects have already begun. In 2025, alongside the completion of the spire’s roof and work on the north and south towers—which allowed the reopening of the tower tour route in September of that same year—restoration of the apse began, including its twenty-two flying buttresses, structural elements essential to the building’s stability. In the spring of 2026, work also began on the restoration of the sacristy’s exterior, focusing on the stone surfaces, carved decorations, and roof, all of which were in an advanced state of disrepair. Both projects had already been identified as necessary before the 2019 fire and will continue through 2028–2029. With these works, the total value of projects completed or already underway since 2019 thanks to the national fundraising campaign reaches 845 million euros.

The restoration program planned for the coming years also includes the conservation of the north and south facades of the transept, the three large medieval rose windows (western, northern, and southern)—which have not been restored since the 19th century—as well as the installation of external protective glazing to shield the historic glass from the elements. Work is also planned on the north and south facades of the nave and their buttresses, on the stained-glass windows of the galleries and chapels, on the exterior surfaces of the towers—including the chimeras designed by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc—and finally on the chancel.

The restoration of the western rose window will focus on a structure that is largely medieval and has not undergone comprehensive restoration since the 19th century. In addition to addressing long-standing signs of deterioration, the work will repair damage caused by a violent hailstorm that occurred in May 2025. A protective glass screen will also be installed on the exterior to shield the historic stained-glass windows from future weather events.

The other project will focus on the north facade of the transept and its medieval sculptures, which are covered in a thick layer of grime. The work will also include the statue of the Virgin Mary located on the trumeau (the space between two windows or doors) of the north portal. Once the detailed design and bidding procedures are complete, work on both sites will begin in 2027.

Notre-Dame: Restoration of the Western Rose Window and the North Facade Begins

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