Notre-Dame Fire: French government announces international competition to rebuild spire

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Europe

01:51

Support is pouring in from around the world following the devastating fire at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been pledged to restore the landmark. And the public will have a say in how one key part of the cathedral will look. CGTN's Stefan de Vries explains.

Only two days after the fire that struck Notre Dame, the French government announced an international architecture competition to rebuild the spire of the cathedral.

EDOUARD PHILIPPE FRENCH PRIME MINISTER "This international competition will decide whether we will have to build a new spire, whether we should rebuild one similar to the old spire, identical, or if we need to, as is often done by redeveloping monuments, give the Paris Notre Dame a new spire, adapted to our era."

Parisians and tourists are still gathering near the cathedral to see with their own eyes what has happened to the beloved monument. But horror was replaced by hope.

STEFAN DE VRIES PARIS "The French Minister of Culture has announced that there is already enough money to start rebuilding the world famous monument."

Donations have poured in from around the world for the restoration efforts. It is expected that the total amount pledged will reach one billion euros on Thursday. Much to the delight of the French Prime Minister.

EDOUARD PHILIPPE FRENCH PRIME MINISTER "I think we should be very happy that, apart from all the emotions, a very large number of the French want to participate in these efforts."

STEFAN DE VRIES PARIS "Last night in a televised speech President Macron promised the nation that the cathedral would be even more beautiful and the cathedral would be restored within five years. But experts are less optimistic. They think rebuilding Notre Dame may take decades. This is Stefan de Vries, for CGTN in Paris."