Hungarian carpenter works on restoration of burnt Notre Dame

World-renowned Hungarian carpenter and restorer Árpád Rostás is also involved in the restoration of the burnt Notre Dame.

Árpád Rostás can make history by helping to restore the woodwork of Notre Dame in Paris.

It’s been more than four years since the emblematic Gothic cathedral of Christianity, Notre Dame, in the French capital, was destroyed by fire.

The flames started in the Hussars Tower late in the afternoon of 15 April 2019 and spread at lightning speed through the wooden ceiling. At the time, the President of the French Republic promised to rebuild the cathedral in five years.

World-renowned carpenter Árpád Rostás will be involved in these works. The Hungarian man is already preparing for the job, bringing hundreds of years-old wood from Hungary, which he bought when demolishing the cellar of a castle.

“They approached me to apply because they had heard that I was a unique artist in the world. They said my expertise was indispensable. They added that the expectation was that the furniture should shine like the original,” Rostás told ripost.hu.

The Hungarian carpenter has already completed the trial work. He had to rebuild a rusty, broken chair made in 1880, and the master craftsman convinced his clients with his work.

“When I handed over the chair to the clients, they were teary-eyed with joy that they had finally found such a specialist, who is able to restore hundreds of years-old furniture in a unique way,” said Rostás. The Hungarian carpenter does not yet know when he will travel to Paris, but he would like to do a job that all Hungarians can be proud of.