How should the Grand Lady of Paris, France be rebuilt?

[Vinayaka]

Whiskey made perhaps from holy water?

Imported from Gimli Manitoba. None of that putrid Scotch stuff.

 

[Shantanu]

I like historical monstrosities.
To level & replace it smacks of Talibanism.

Refresh and live with the times. Ask people what the want today.

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

Or it smacks of the thoughts of Renaissance and Baroque Italian architects who saw the Gothic as "Germanic and barbarous".

Italians, even Catholics, frown upon Gothic architecture. I don't know why the French even embraced it historically.

I find the Romanesque even more eye-pleasing with it's tall rounded, castle-turret-like towers and rounded arches.

The St. Peter's Basilica of the Vatican in Rome is much more bright and cheery: a rival of the Classical of Roman and Greek antiquity.

From the Renaissance through the Enlightenment, much of Gothic architecture was phased out and western European cathedrals were replaced or some Gothic buildings were given a facelift to reflect newer ages.

When your cathedral burns down, rebuild it how you like.

 

[Jumi]

If it's going to be remade, I think it should follow the original in aesthetic as far as feasible. It will take a very long time until it's done though.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

With most of the funding coming from the Church. Billionaires donating is great and everything but the Church should really pay at least half.

 

[Revoltingest]

Refresh and live with the times. Ask people what the want today.

I'm sure they'll do what they want.
But it's my job on RF to advise others what to do.
All I need is the power to make it a command.

 

[Revoltingest]

If it's going to be remade, I think it should follow the original in aesthetic as far as feasible. It will take a very long time until it's done though.

I agree.
But some modern structures are also pleasing to the eye.

 

[Shantanu]

I'm sure they'll do what they want.
But it's my job on RF to advise others what to do.
All I need is the power to make it a command.

Well said.

 

[ChristineM]

Should Notre Dame be restored with true faith to the original?

Should steel beams replace the original timbers?

Should this cold, dark medieval Gothic monstrosity be leveled altogether and replaced with something more enlightened in architecture in the form of the Renaissance as St. Peter's Basilica, The Queen of Catholic Churches? How about beautiful, white light and cheerful Baroque architecture as St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau, Lower Bavaria, Germany designed, decorated and painted with frescoes by three collective Baroque Period Italians and also housing the largest pipe organ in Europe?

St. Stephen's Cathedral, Passau - Wikipedia

How about staying as faithfully as possible to how it was designed!

Notre Dame boasts 850+ years of history, a history that has developed throughout that 850 years. It bares scars of war and revolution and time. What new build has them?

It might be that steel beams will need be used, although there are plenty of forests in france there is no primal forests and so no wood big enough for the beams.
However, Canada has offered a supply of suitable wood but conservation measures should also be taken into account. 1000 year old trees are not for felling.

You also need to take in to account tourism. There are around 13 million visitors to Notre Dame each year, thats a lot of tourist income for paris in general. A new build would decimate that income, who wants to travel thousands of miles to see a new concrete block.

 

[ChristineM]

It will be restored wood timbers as original with reinforcing. I support the restoration for historical reasons not religious.

Suitable wood is not available in europe, .it is in canada ans russia but i understand that felling primal forest is s no, no.

 

[Revoltingest]

Suitable wood is not available in europe, .it is in canada ans russia but i understand that felling primal forest is s no, no.

Exceptions can be made for a good cause.
Do not surrender to structural steel !!!!

But engineered lumber could be just fine.

 

[ChristineM]

Exceptions can be made for a good cause.
Do not surrender to structural steel !!!!

But engineered lumber could be just fine.

Wood would be superior but as yet it is an unknown. The french govt have asked architects (worldwide) to offer their solutions. Only time will tell.

 

[Salvador]

I agree.
But some modern structures are also pleasing to the eye.

This modern Church structure is not only very beautiful, but might also be less of a fire hazard than a traditional cathedral.

This Church in Tampa has been mocked for looking like a chicken, but I think it looks delicious.

 

[metis]

With most of the funding coming from the Church. Billionaires donating is great and everything but the Church should really pay at least half.

I'm not trying to be snarky, but what business is it of yours? If someone wants to donate to a legal cause, why stop them?

 

[David T]

Should Notre Dame be restored with true faith to the original?

Should steel beams replace the original timbers?

Should this cold, dark medieval Gothic monstrosity be leveled altogether and replaced with something more enlightened in architecture in the form of the Renaissance as St. Peter's Basilica, The Queen of Catholic Churches? How about beautiful, white light and cheerful Baroque architecture as St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau, Lower Bavaria, Germany designed, decorated and painted with frescoes by three collective Baroque Period Italians and also housing the largest pipe organ in Europe?

St. Stephen's Cathedral, Passau - Wikipedia

Should Notre Dame be restored with true faith to the original?

Should steel beams replace the original timbers?

Should this cold, dark medieval Gothic monstrosity be leveled altogether and replaced with something more enlightened in architecture in the form of the Renaissance as St. Peter's Basilica, The Queen of Catholic Churches? How about beautiful, white light and cheerful Baroque architecture as St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau, Lower Bavaria, Germany designed, decorated and painted with frescoes by three collective Baroque Period Italians and also housing the largest pipe organ in Europe?

St. Stephen's Cathedral, Passau - Wikipedia

Keeping in the spirit of the post...the Chinese newspaper building.

Or the quatar stadium which actually I seem to like more but not very Catholic.