Announced shortly after the cathedral’s grand reopening in December—five years after the devastating fire of 2019—the project aims to immortalize every intricate architectural detail of the 862-year-old Gothic masterpiece. The effort will not only serve as a precise digital archive of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also offer a virtual window into its storied halls for global audiences.
Microsoft President Brad Smith emphasized the broader purpose of the initiative, stating that the digital twin will aid in both public engagement and long-term conservation. “We’ve seen through our work at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican how powerful digital replicas can be in supporting the ongoing care of historical monuments,” Smith told Reuters. “By capturing every centimeter of Notre-Dame, we’re preserving its essence for centuries to come.”
The virtual reconstruction, developed in collaboration with French company Iconem, will be accessible to the public and is expected to revolutionize how people interact with cultural heritage—especially monuments impacted by disaster or inaccessibility.
This initiative is part of Microsoft’s wider commitment to cultural preservation through technology. Since 2019, the company has supported digital heritage projects around the world, including Ancient Olympia in Greece, Mont Saint-Michel in France, and commemorative efforts surrounding the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy.
As France continues to restore and safeguard its national treasures, the Notre-Dame digital twin stands as a powerful testament to what can be achieved at the intersection of innovation, memory, and cultural identity.
