Geometry and construction of the severies of the vaults in the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris

Abstract

The fire at Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral shocked the world, which watched in disbelief as flames devoured one of the most important early-Gothic cathedrals in medieval Europe. Some vaults in the transept and in the main nave collapsed completely or in part. Reconstruction will require addressing one of the most complex challenges of recent decades. The results of the geometric and construction analysis carried out before the fire on a three-dimensional model created using a laser scanner have brought to light extremely important information for the restoration works based on the thorough knowledge of medieval construction. The severy surfaces of the Parisian cathedral have double curvature. By comparing all the courses with each other, we were able to confirm the geometry rules governing these structures and form hypotheses about the auxiliary structures used.