Notre Dame Cathedral spire to be restored to original design

French president’s approval of restoration to original 19th-century design ends debate about its future form

(AFP via Getty Images)

The spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris will be rebuilt as it was before it was razed in a catastrophic fire last year, Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.

The French president’s approval of the spire’s restoration to its original 19th-century gothic design ends a debate about its future form after he previously suggested “a contemporary architectural gesture might be envisaged”.

The announcement followed a meeting of France’s national heritage and architecture commission, during which Philippe Villeneuve, the cathedral’s chief architect, said the 96-metre spire should be restored to its “last known condition”.

“The president trusts the experts and approved the main outlines of the project presented by the chief architect which plans to reconstruct the spire identically,” the Elysee said.

Mr Macron said he wants the reconstruction to be completed by 2024, when Paris will host the Olympic Games.

However, the restoration project has already been hit by delays and work is not due to start until January 2021.

Designing a new spire, which would have included an international competition for architects, would have extended the timeline further.

“The concern for the president was not delaying the reconstruction and making it complicated. Things had to be cleared up quickly,” the Elysee said.

Mr Macron appears to be holding onto his wish to bring a touch of the modern into the restoration and hinted that contemporary design could feature in the surroundings of the cathedral, according to his spokesperson.

The devastating fire in April 2019 triggered international sorrow and a flood of donations towards the restoration effort, with close to €1bn (£900m) raised within days.

Additional reporting by agencies