The New Voice of Notre Dame!

What better way to sing Happy Birthday than with a new voice!

In celebration of Notre Dame Cathedral’s 850 year anniversary… it was decided to give Victor Hugo’s muse a new voice with nine new bronze bells!

Notre Dame was designed for holding ten bells in its two bell towers. The original bells cast for Notre Dame were removed during the French Revolution in the 18th century and melted down for cannon balls. New bells eventually replaced the melted down originals over the centuries but not with the quality and grandeur fit for Notre Dame.

Since nine of the ten bells had become discordant over the past two hundred years, adding a fresh and powerful voice to one of the world’s most recognized masterpieces seemed to be the best way to celebrate an icon’s birth (construction of Notre Dame started in 1163 and was completed 90 years later).

The goal of this project (funded by private donations) was to restore the sound and power of the original ten bells. Eight of the nine beautiful new bells were cast in a Normandy foundry, and one (named Bourdon, or the Great Bell weighing 13,278 lbs.) was cast in the Netherlands — they range in size and weight (totaling 23 tons) — each bell has its own unique exterior design element and all have been named after a Saint or a prominent French catholic.

The first ringing of the new bells will take place on Saturday, March 22nd at 5:00pm — one day before the Easter holy week and Palm Sunday. This will be the first time in “200 years” that all ten bells will ring and be heard throughout the streets of Paris ! Quasimodo could not be happier!!

I really enjoyed how the bells were put on public display before being placed in the bell towers. The bells were placed in Notre Dame in a fashion that allowed you to touch (believe it or not) and gaze (stand in awe is more appropriate) at the craftsmanship of these giant pieces of art and technology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Paris…the second largest bell (Gabriel) was rung twice during the service and the sound literally shook your body for 2 minutes after the bell had been struck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This may sound crazy but while touching the bells you could not help but feel that every time the bells rang in the towers going forward, you will have some type of visceral connection to every ringing for the next 200+ years!