Enfin, une bonne nouvelle…
It was announced today that the roof of Notre Dame will in fact be reconstructed according to the original architectural plans, using massive oak beams, just as it had proudly stood and survived for over 800 years; and the famous spire, created in the Gothic style by Viollet le Duc, will also be perfectly reconstructed, with the original materials of wood, zinc, and copper.
Only days after the fire, one already suspected the worst from ambitious, fame-seeking architects around the world. After months of hearing about imaginative crystal spires reaching to the sky and amazingly nightmarish ideas such as rooftop shopping centers to give a “modern touch” to the historic edifice, President Macron has announced today that the decision has been made to rebuild the cathedral exactly as it was before the tragic fire.
The new Cultural Minister, Rosalyne Bachelot, agrees that there is a consensus among the French (and I would suspect, it exists around the world), that the landmark should be brought back to us unchanged.
As I have reported earlier, this summer will involve the piece by piece removal of the scaffolding which was melted into a terrifying jungle of steel on that fatal night. In the meantime, dedicated woodworkers have been creating projects behind the scenes to demonstrate their specialized skills and traditional craftsmanship capable of rebuilding the structure. See the attached website, for an example.
