United States tech giant Microsoft has announced a partnership with the French government to develop a digital twin of the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral, the country’s most visited monument. The initiative was confirmed on Monday by Microsoft President Brad Smith.

The move comes months after the 862-year-old Gothic cathedral reopened in December 2024, following a five-year restoration effort prompted by the devastating 2019 fire that destroyed much of its roof and spire.

According to Microsoft, the digital replica will serve both as an enduring archive of the cathedral’s intricate architecture and a tool for virtual engagement, offering remote access to those unable to visit in person.

“Creating a digital twin now will provide a valuable digital record that people may still refer to a hundred years from now,” Smith said in an interview with Reuters. He added that digital preservation can aid in future maintenance efforts by capturing every detail of the structure with precision.

The project builds on Microsoft’s previous collaboration with French heritage digitalisation firm Iconem. The two companies worked together in 2024 to create a digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

Notre-Dame, immortalised in Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, has long been a symbol of French cultural heritage, with its bell towers and flying buttresses featured in films, musicals, and animated adaptations.

The Notre-Dame initiative forms part of Microsoft’s broader commitment to digitally preserve cultural landmarks. Since 2019, the company has helped archive sites such as Ancient Olympia in Greece, Mont Saint-Michel in France, and events like the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy.

With this latest partnership, Notre-Dame’s architectural legacy is set to be safeguarded not just in stone, but in pixels — for generations to come.