The presbytery of Notre-Dame Cathedral was classified as a historic monument this Friday, December 27, announced the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati in a press release. Before joining the long list of French historic monuments, the latter did not benefit from any particular protection.
Notre-Dame Cathedral and its sacristy were, for their part, classified as historic monuments in 1862, four years before the construction of the presbytery.
🏛️The presbytery of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral dates from 1866. It was built 4 years after the cathedral and its sacristy were classified as historic monuments, which explains why it did not benefit until now from ‘no protection apart from its… pic.twitter.com/dpigmx6syP
— Rachida Dati (@datirachida) December 27, 2024
The latter, built in 1866, was designed by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the emblematic architect of the great restorations of the 19th century. Originally called “keeper’s house”this neo-Gothic building is located at the foot of the cathedral.
Reinforced protection
The status of historic monument provides reinforced legal protection to this building. Any modification or restoration must be authorized by the competent authorities, guaranteeing respect for its architectural and historical integrity.
This status is accompanied by the protection of the surrounding area, limiting construction or development likely to alter the landscape. From now on, like the rest of the cathedral, it will also have access to financial aid to support maintenance or renovation work.
The State, owner of the presbytery, will have more obligations, particularly concerning the coherent preservation of the architectural ensemble of Notre-Dame.