\u201cThe French will be able to express themselves, and then we\u2019ll see which decision (will be taken) and how Notre-Dame will be restored,\u201d an official said
\nNEWS DESK
\nPARIS
\nFrench citizens will be consulted on how Notre-Dame should be rebuilt after the iconic cathedral was ravaged by a fire on April 15, Culture Minister Franck Riester said Friday.
\n\u201cThe French will be able to express themselves, and then we\u2019ll see which decision (will be taken) and how Notre-Dame will be restored,\u201d Riester told LCI television.
\nHe promised a \u201cdebate and a large consultation,\u201d though the government will have the final say on the Paris landmark, which President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to restore within five years.
\nThe church\u2019s roof and spire were destroyed in the blaze, with the cause still under investigation.
\nFrance has launched an international architectural competition for the reconstruction, raising the prospect of modern touches to a structure dating from the 13th century.
\nBut experts note that it has been modified periodically since then, not least with the addition of the spire by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century, which collapsed into the nave during the inferno.
\nA YouGov poll released this week found that 54 percent of respondents wanted the cathedral rebuilt exactly as it was, including the spire and the intricate \u201cforest\u201d of huge oak beams supporting the lead roof.
\nOnly a quarter supported the idea that the rebuilding should include a modern \u201carchitectural gesture,\u201d while a further 21 percent had no opinion.
\n\u201cIn general, when cathedrals are restored, new elements are added. So why not have an architectural gesture allowing us to say there was a before and after, and we don\u2019t pretend as if nothing happened?\u201d Riester asked.
\n\u201cBut everything will be done in concertation, with consultations, and nothing will be done behind people\u2019s backs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cThe French will be able to express themselves, and then we\u2019ll see which decision (will be taken) and how Notre-Dame will be restored,\u201d an official said NEWS DESK PARIS French citizens will be consulted on how Notre-Dame should be rebuilt after the iconic cathedral was ravaged by a fire on April 15, Culture Minister Franck […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":62473,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n