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A man watches the burning Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (archive image)
Photo: Geoffroy van der Hasselt / AFP
It was a shock for the whole world when, in spring 2019, a large fire devastated large parts of the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral in the heart of Paris.
After all: According to French President Emmanuel Macron, the badly damaged church should be rebuilt on schedule.
"The commitment for 2024 will be kept,
"
the 43-year-old told the newspaper "Le Parisien - Aujourd'hui en France
"
.
Exactly two years ago, on April 15, 2019, the sight in the heart of Paris went up in flames.
The fire spread in the roof structure and then hit large parts of the medieval building.
The cause of the fire has not yet been fully clarified: a fault in the electrical system or a cigarette that was not put out could have triggered the fire disaster.
Head of state Macron told the newspaper that all of France was involved in the reconstruction of the church.
He would also like to express his thanks to the donors from all over the world who provided more than 800 million euros.
During the day he wanted to visit the construction site with the Parisian mayor Anne Hidalgo, where numerous craftsmen work.
Rebuilding the roof structure could take 10 to 15 years
Because of the fire, there was no Christmas mass in the cathedral for the first time in more than 200 years.
A Christmas mass had been held in Notre-Dame every year since 1803.
It remains to be seen whether Macron's ambitious goal will actually be achieved.
Experts consider this to be very ambitious.
Some estimate that the new roof construction will take 10 to 15 years.
It is not surprising that Macron is determined to stick to the goal it has set.
The Summer Olympics will be held in Paris in 2024.
For the third time since 1900 and 1924, the city will host what is probably the most important sporting event in the world.
bam / dpa
