Scientists from the University of Paris 8 learned that Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral was the first cathedral in history to use iron supplements. Research published in the journal PLOS ONE.
At the time of its construction in the mid-12th century, the 32-metre Notre Dame Cathedral was the tallest building ever built. Previous research suggests that this record was made possible by a combination of a number of architectural innovations.
The 2019 fire and subsequent restoration allowed scientists access to previously hidden parts of Notre Dame. They collected samples of materials from the 12 iron staples used to join the stones in different parts of the building.
Scholars have confirmed that iron brackets were indeed used in the early stages of Notre Dame’s construction in the 1160s. This means that Notre Dame was the first Gothic cathedral to use iron brackets in its construction. The scientists said their discoveries showed that builders at that time were trying to experiment with new forms of construction.
Many staples appear to be forged by welding pieces of iron from various sources. This discovery will allow us to learn more about the metal trade in medieval Europe.