(dpa) – Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral, badly damaged in a fire, will be rebuilt on schedule, according to French President Emmanuel Macron.
“The commitment for 2024 will be kept,” the 43-year-old told Thursday’s Le Parisien – Aujourd’hui en France newspaper. In 2024, the French capital is also due to host the Summer Olympics.
Exactly two years ago, on April 15, 2019, the world-famous landmark in the heart of Paris went up in flames. The fire spread to the roof truss and then engulfed large parts of the medieval building.
The cause of the fire has not yet been fully determined: A fault in the electrical system or a lit cigarette may have triggered the disaster.
The head of state went on to tell the paper that the whole of France was committed to the reconstruction of Notre Dame, which is Our Lady in English.
Macron plans to visit the construction site, where numerous craftsmen are working, later in the day together with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.
