The spire of the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris will be restored to its original 19th century design. In April 2019 the cathedral went up in flames, destroying a major section of the roof along with the spire.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the building will be restored to its original Gothic design, according to BBC. He added that he wants the restoration to be finished by 2024, in time for the Olympics being held in Paris.
#NotreDame Cathedral built in 1163 & the finest in French Gothic architecture goes up in flames. The Cathedral, the Seat of the Catholic Church is the most visited in France receiving 14million visitors annually .. Eiffel Tower receives 6m .. 3.5m visit Statue of Liberty in NYC. pic.twitter.com/vqzl15pUEu
— Donald B Kipkorir (@DonaldBKipkorir) April 15, 2019
Reuters’ Philippe Wojazer captures a stunning photo from inside Notre Dame after the fire pic.twitter.com/OxUP0U9AvN
— Brian Kosciesza (@BrianKosh) April 15, 2019
Firefighters worked around the clock to contain the fire and successfully put it out within 15 hours. Much deliberation and speculation has taken place over the past year regarding the restructuring of the Cathedral. A Parisian architectural firm, Studio NAB, proposed converting the roof into a working greenhouse complete with beehives.
The first spire was constructed in the 13th century. It was heavily damaged and removed in the late 18th century. The spire which was destroyed in 2019 was constricted in the mid-19th century by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, according to BBC.
Image credit: Unsplash
