ICOMOS Ireland Annual Maura Shaffrey Memorial Lecture 2024

Notre Dame Cathedral reopened to visitors on December 7th, 2024, less than 6 years after the tragic fire of April 2019. The restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral was led by chief architect Philippe Villeneuve, assisted by Rémi Fromont and Pascal Prunet. The project involved around 2,000 craftspeople, 250 companies, and cost about $900 million, demonstrating the immense scale and complexity of the work which was completed on a tight deadline.

After the five hours it took to extinguish the flames in the 2019 fire, it became apparent how close the structure had come to collapse, yet the bell towers, stained-glass rose windows and invaluable artworks were mostly untouched. The immediate priority in the aftermath was to stabilise the remaining structure, remove debris and evacuate the 1,300 artworks.

This talk will be given by Philippe Villeneuve, the lead Chief Architect for Historic Monuments (ACMH) responsible for the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Philippe VILLENEUVE (Chief Architect of Historic Monuments):

P. Villeneuve graduated as an architect in 1989 and became Chief Architect of Historic Monuments in 1997. Since 1998, his work has involved supervising and advising on the protection of historic monuments in various regions of France (Charente, Creuse, Haute-Vienne, Charente-Martimine, Loir et Cher) as well as carrying out restoration work on listed monuments belonging to the State.

In 2011, he was appointed Chief Architect of Historic monuments of Chambord and in 2013 of Notre-Dame de Paris.

His other main projects include:

o The restoration of Saint-Amant-de-Boixe abbey;

o The restoration of the interior and exterior of the choir of Saint-Pierre cathedral in Angoulême;

o The rescue and restoration of the bell tower at Notre-Dame church in La Souterraine;

o The restoration of the portal of Saint-Jean and the chevet of Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges in Limoges;

o The restoration of the château and grand staircase at La Rochefoucauld.

Please note:

This lecture will be delivered in FRENCH, with SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION.
ICOMOS Members are invited to attend a post-lecture reception.

Registration is limited to two tickets per booking.

As spaces are limited, we kindly ask, in the event that you cannot attend, please cancel your booking or contact ICOMOS Ireland as soon as possible.

ENTRANCE INSTRUCTIONS: Please enter Dublin Castle via the Palace Street Gate (opposite the Olympia Theatre), as there will be another event taking place in the Upper Yard of Dublin Castle.