French Billionaire Pledges $ 113 Million towards the Rebuild of Notre Dame Cathedral
Paris: François-Henri Pinault, the chairman and CEO of Kering, who is worth more than £19bn of the French-based luxury group behind Gucci, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent and other world-renowned brands has pledged over $110 million towards the rebuilding of the Notre Dame cathedral, a 850-year-old UNESCO world heritage, after a devastating blaze partially destroyed the Paris landmark. Pinault, who is married to actress Salma Hayek, said in a statement that he plans to pay through his family’s investment firm, Artemis, for any work that needs to be done following Monday’s catastrophic fire.
The billionaire reportedly pledged 100 million euros, or $113 million. He hopes that the money will help church officials “completely rebuild Notre Dame.” French president Emmanuel Macron had vowed to do so earlier in the day. “We will rebuild Notre Dame because it is what the French expect,” Macron said, calling it “the epicenter” of their lives. “It is what our history deserves. Notre Dame is our history, our literature, part of our psyche, the place of all our great events, our epidemics, our wars, our liberation, the epicentre of our lives… So I solemnly say tonight: we will rebuild it together” he added.
Recalling the incident, the fire began at the Cathedral around 6.30 pm, on Monday and quickly caused the collapse of the Cathedral’s spectacular Gothic spire and the destruction of its roof structure, which dated back to the 13th century. Consumed by flames, the spire leaned to one side and fell onto the burning roof as horrified onlookers watched. The massive blaze was brought under control by some 500 firefighters in the early hours of Tuesday morning, though officials warned there were still be residual fires to put out which could take several days to completely extinguish it.
The cause of the fire is not yet clear but officials believe it could be linked to extensive renovation works underway. The Paris prosecutor’s office said it was currently being investigated as an accident. The 12th-century Cathedral’s iconic facade and towers were salvaged, as were a host of invaluable artefacts and works of art stored inside, including the Holy Crown, believed by many to be from the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus Christ and which the cathedral calls its ‘most precious and most venerated relic’.
François-Henri Pinault
A tunic, which King Louis IX is said to have worn when he brought the crown of thorns to Paris, was also saved. Thousands of people gathered in the streets around the Cathedral, observing the flames in silence. Some could be seen openly weeping, while others sang hymns or said prayers. Several churches around Paris rang their bells in response to the blaze, which happened as Catholics celebrate Holy Week.
Sources reveal that the Notre Dame’s foundation stone was laid in 1163 by Pope Alexander III and the Cathedral was completed in the 13th century. Today, with its towers, spire, flying buttresses and stained glass, Notre Dame is considered a feat of architecture as well as a major religious and cultural symbol of France. It is one of Paris’ most popular attractions, drawing an estimated 13 million visitors a year. It was the site of Napoleon Bonaparte’s coronation as Emperor in 1804. The central spire was built in the 19th century amid a broad restoration effort, partly buoyed by the success of Victor Hugo’s novel ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’ in 1831. The Cathedral also houses the grand organ, one of the world’s most famous musical instruments, as well as the Crown of Thorns, a relic of the passion of Christ.
