The Bells of Notre-Dame de Paris
One of the most famous features of Notre-Dame de Paris is her bells. They faithfully mark the hours and ring out to commemorate significant occasions. How much do you...
Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris
Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris is the official 501(c)(3) charity leading the international fundraising efforts to rebuild and restore Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Special Event: Notre Dame de Paris: Restoring...
Special Event: Restoring a Gothic Masterpiece Hosted by LAWACTH On June 2, 2021, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall (LAWACTH) held a special event, “Notre Dame de Paris:...
Notre-Dame – The Pieces of a Puzzle
Since the new year, work on Notre-Dame de Paris is steadily progressing as we continue securing the structure of Notre-Dame Cathedral. We anticipate this work will be finished in...
April 15, 2019: Fire engulfed the spire and most of the roof.
Established in 2017, Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris began to support efforts to restore Notre-Dame Cathedral. Pollution, rain and time weakened the cathedral’s basic structure, and an ambitious $135 million campaign was planned to save Notre-Dame de Paris.
On April 15, 2019, the scope of that campaign dramatically changed when a fire broke out under the eaves of Notre-Dame Cathedral’s roof.
Fire engulfed the spire and most of the roof. Thankfully, firefighters were able to control the blaze, saving the main structure including the bell towers and rose windows. Nobody was injured, and the Catholic relics housed in the cathedral and priceless works of art were rescued and brought to safety.
After the fire
After the fire, there was an overwhelming outpouring of support from the international community, including pledges totaling in the hundreds of millions over the duration of the reconstruction. Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris raised $10.6 million in 2019 from more than 10,500 donors in the US and in more than 50 countries outside France.
But there is still much work to be done. The reconstruction timeline and full budget needed will be finalized in 2021. Before the end of the reconstruction, we will also need to create an endowment that will help fund the maintenance of Notre-Dame Cathedral and avoid further decay.
We need your help rebuild, restore and protect Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Now a huge task lies before us. We must rebuild, restore and protect Notre-Dame Cathedral. We must help open her doors once more to welcome the millions of visitors who come to visit her each year.
Notre-Dame Cathedral is not just a Parisian or a French monument. She belongs to the world, and she needs our help.
Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris is the registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization leading the international collaboration to support the rebuilding of Notre-Dame Cathedral. Our small staff works with very low organizational overhead and our priority is to fund the rebuilding and the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
We have strong partnerships with the Archdiocese of Paris and with Fondation Notre-Dame in France, and we work in close cooperation with the Public Agency in charge of the preservation and the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris, which was created after the fire within the French Ministry of Culture to lead and manage the reconstruction works.