Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is a globally recognized monument. The cathedral’s voice is carried by its bells, which have marked the rhythm of Parisian life for centuries. The current configuration of the main bells housed within the two great towers totals ten, each with its own distinct name and purpose. These ten bells are divided between the North and South towers.
The Grand Bourdon: Emmanuel
The most famous and historically significant of the cathedral’s bells is the Grand Bourdon, named Emmanuel, which resides in the South Tower. This bell is renowned for its exceptional purity of tone, ringing out in the note of F sharp. Emmanuel was cast in 1686 after a previous attempt failed, and it was sponsored by King Louis XIV, who served as its godfather.
Emmanuel weighs approximately 13 tons, with its clapper alone accounting for nearly 500 kilograms. Its diameter at the base measures over 2.6 meters, making it one of the largest bells in France. Emmanuel is reserved for only the most solemn and significant occasions. It is traditionally rung for major religious holidays like Christmas and Easter, the death or election of a Pope, or momentous national events, such as the Liberation of Paris in 1944.
The Eight Smaller Bells
The North Tower houses the remaining eight main bells, which form the cathedral’s main peal and are responsible for the daily ringing. This set of bells is relatively new, having been installed in 2013 as part of the cathedral’s 850th-anniversary celebrations. They replaced a previous set of four bells from the 19th century that were deemed acoustically discordant and of poor quality.
The new bells were cast using traditional medieval techniques by the Cornille-Havard foundry in Normandy. Each of the eight bells bears a name honoring a significant figure, such as Gabriel, the largest of the group, and Anne-Geneviève, named for the patron saint of Paris. These eight bells are responsible for the daily liturgical life of the cathedral, ringing the hours and calling the faithful to prayer.
The Bells’ Role in the Cathedral’s Restoration
The fire of 2019, which destroyed the cathedral’s roof and spire, left the bells largely intact, though they were exposed to the elements and lead dust. The eight bells in the North Tower were subsequently removed in 2023 to allow for the full restoration of the belfry structure. This removal allowed experts to clean the bells of lead contamination and perform maintenance and tuning at the foundry where they were originally cast.
The return of the eight bells to the cathedral in September 2024 marked a significant milestone in the reconstruction effort. Their reinstallation in the belfry symbolizes the cathedral’s impending recovery. The eventual full ringing of all ten bells, scheduled for the cathedral’s reopening, will signify the return of the monument’s voice to Paris.