Emmanuel Macron climbed to the top of the newly rebuilt spire of Notre-Dame de Paris on Friday, and he came with some announcements. The Head of State announced that a museum “of the work of Notre-Dame” will be created in the premises neighboring the Hôtel-Dieu, on the Île de la Cité and the launch of a competition for the creation of “six contemporary stained glass windows” in the side chapels of the Gothic building rebuilt, on the whole, identically. These stained glass windows will bear “the mark of the 21st century” in Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, according to the President.
The visit took place exactly one year before the planned reopening of the cathedral ravaged by a fire in 2019. An interview with the president is to be broadcast in the 1 p.m. news on France 2.
In a letter sent this week, Mgr Laurent Ulrich, Archbishop of Paris, confirmed his “wish” to see the State order “a series of six stained glass windows for the south side chapels of the nave”. The idea is not to “tell the story of the fire”, but to say “this is what our time, and after this ordeal, wants to offer as a contribution to the history of this church and of Paris”, explains -he in this letter that AFP was able to consult.
In a pre-report, several options regarding a museum were expressed concerning several buildings on the Île de la Cité.
On April 15, 2019, a spectacular fire destroyed the cathedral, whose spire, designed by the 19th century architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, collapsed before the eyes of Parisians and tourists. Images of the flames were broadcast live, sparking global emotion.