Belgium has a wealth of historic buildings that impress locals and attract visitors from near and far. Yet when it comes to renovating them, the process can be notoriously lengthy and the cocoons of scaffolding erected can sometimes stay there for years.
Such has been the case with Brussels' Palais de Justice, whose renovations have been impacted by successive budgeting issues, leaving the grand cupola clad in scaffolding for decades (leading to the farcical situation where the scaffolding itself has been renovated). The works are now due to finish in 2030, in time for Belgium's double centenary.
Though not quite as long a process, the tower of Antwerp's Notre Dame Cathedral was covered by scaffolding since 2019; on Friday, the city authorities confirmed that this has now been completely removed after restoration work to the exterior has been completed.
The work took almost four years and included cleaning and, where necessary, repairing or replacing the natural stone on the outside of the tower and renewing the joints. The clock faces and the weather vane at the top of the tower were restored in a workshop.
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Finally, the lightning conductor, which was obsolete, was replaced with more than a thousand metres of new copper pipes. The work took longer than expected because the damage to the natural stone was more significant than first thought. In addition, the cross on the tower was found to be in too poor a condition to be restored, so it will be replaced by a replica.
The old cross will be exhibited in a museum. The carillon was put back into service this summer, but rot was soon discovered in the structure. The affected beams were replaced with new ones, without removing the bells.
The new weather vane on the Cathedrale Notre Dame in Antwerp, Thursday 22 October 2020. BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS
“We are very pleased that after all the necessary work on the belfry tower, the cathedral is once again revealing itself as the proud lady it has been for centuries,” said heritage alderman Annick De Ridder. The City of Antwerp is making sure that “all its citizens and visitors will be able to enjoy the cathedral and its melodious bells for a long time to come."
