The spire of the Notre Dame cathedral, destroyed during the fires of 2019, will be restored according to the original 19th-century Gothic design, as reported by French President Emmanuel Macron. Built in 1860, to replace the original structure removed in 1792, the spire, not exactly a medieval structure, was designed by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc who found inspiration in the original architectural epoch of the Cathedral.
.jpg?1594644701 "April 2019. Image © Erieta Attali")
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the decision, putting an end to speculation around the design direction for the future spire, and concluding a series of tense discussions, after a meeting with France's national heritage and architecture commission (CNPA).
Not wanting to delay construction works or make them more complicated, the president also stated that the spire needs to be completed by 2024, in time for the Paris' Olympics.
Although Macron was discussing a contemporary approach earlier on, chief architect Philippe Villeneuve had already revealed back in June, that the Viollet-le-Duc spire will be reconstructed as it was. Conservation communities also were pushing for the spire to be rebuilt according to traditional techniques, implementing the principles in the Charter of Venice. Finally, the Elysée stated that "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."
News via BBC.
