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At the time of its construction in the mid-12th century, Notre Dame was the sixth-tallest structure ever erected, reaching a height of 105 feet. Surpassed only by the pyramids.
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Over the centuries, there have been several attempts to harm and destroy Notre Dame.
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During the French Revolution, revolutionaries attempted to demolish Notre Dame and dismantle its sculptures from the façade.
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Later in World War II, the Nazis tried to blow up the cathedral but were unsuccessful.
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​In April 2019, a devastating fire destroyed parts of Notre Dame's roof and spire. Miraculously, firefighters saved much of the cathedral's main structure, including its famous rose windows.
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All these events demonstrate that Notre Dame is resilient – it has survived numerous challenges against all odds.
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Now, the subsequent restoration from the fire has allowed a team led by Maxime L’Héritier of Université Paris to access previously concealed parts of Notre Dame that hold clues to the possible use of iron in its construction.
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The researchers obtained material samples from 12 iron staples that bind stones together in various parts of the building, including the tribunes, nave aisles, and upper walls.

As the researchers recently detailed in a paper published in the journal PLoS ONE, iron staples were indeed used in the earliest phases of the construction of Notre Dame in the 1160s, making it the first building of its type to have relied on structural steel reinforcement throughout its structure.
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"Whereas other buildings used wooden tie rods stretched between the arches and therefore visible as in Laon, Chartres, Soissons, Amiens, Reims, Tours, or Beauvais cathedrals, the first master builder of Notre Dame de Paris made the bold choice of a system using a more durable material that could be more easily concealed," write the researchers.
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Archaeologists have already uncovered painted sculptures, tombs, and even sarcophagi during the reconstruction process. More discoveries are sure to be made public as scientists continue to probe Paris’ iconic medieval monument.
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Be sure to tell them that the AIBD Meander sent you.
-The AIBD A-Team
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​P.S. - You can find ALL of AIBD's Corporate and Associate Members at AIBD.org/find-a-design-professional. Choose the Member Type from the drop-down menu and then click Submit.
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