Dec 27, 2023 at 12:28 AM Update: 30 minutes ago
The Archbishop of Paris has proposed replacing Notre Dame’s original stained glass windows with more modern designs. More than 120 thousand people have signed a petition against these plans, which they call vandalistic.
Before the renovation of Notre Dame, Archbishop Laurent Ulrich proposed replacing six stained glass windows on the south side during the renovation. The world-famous cathedral is being restored after the major fire in 2019.
French President Emmanuel Macron supports the archbishop’s idea. He announced the replacement plans during a visit to Notre Dame last month. The designs of the new stained glass windows must be chosen in a competition.
Opponents call the plans vandalistic and have set up a petition against them. They want the six windows involved, which were not destroyed in the fire, to remain undamaged.
The six windows were designed by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in such a way that together they form a whole and complement the rest of the cathedral well. In the nineteenth century, this architect also designed the spire in the middle of the cathedral, which collapsed during the fire.
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New golden rooster hoisted on the spire of Notre-Dame
Art historian Didier Rykner, one of the initiators of the petition, believes that the windows on the other side would be more suitable for a new design. The windows there were largely destroyed during the fire.
“That would also have a nice symbolic value,” says Rykner The Guardian. “In the north tower, the fire was the most threatening to the cathedral and firefighters risked their lives to protect the monument.” Rykner therefore proposes dedicating the new windows on that side to the emergency responders.
The renovation of Notre Dame is scheduled to be completed in December 2024.
2023-12-26 23:28:00
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