Notre Dame Cathedral Tower to have new design?
AFP news agency on April 17 quoted French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe as saying that Paris will hold a competition to decide on the new design of the Notre Dame Cathedral tower.
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| Notre Dame Cathedral after the fire with the tower gone. Photo: Reuters |
"The international competition will allow us to ask ourselves whether we should recreate the tower that Viollet-le-Duc conceived or give Notre Dame a new tower that reflects the techniques and challenges of our time," said Philippe.
French President Emmanuel Macron has previously vowed to rebuild the famous cathedral within five years. Many billionaires and international companies have pledged to contribute money and expertise to rebuild the cathedral.
France is expected to draft a law to reduce taxes by 75% for those who donate less than 1,000 euros to rebuild the cathedral and by 66% for larger donations, Mr Philippe said.
Meanwhile, at the cathedral, firefighters are using cranes to stabilize a section of the roof after a fire earlier this week. There is no sign that the ancient structure will collapse, but statues are being moved to reduce the risk.
"Our priority now is to stabilise the peaks on the weakened roof because they are no longer supported by the roof and frame," said Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Plus, a spokesman for the French fire service.
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| Inside the church after the fire on April 15. Photo: Reuters |
The cathedral was built over nearly 200 years, beginning in the mid-12th century. In the mid-1800s, architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc added a lead-clad spire as part of his restoration. The devastating fire on April 15 devastated this architectural treasure of the world.
