The state of France will take full charge of the restoration of the Cathedral of Nantes, French minister of economy Bruno le Maire said on BFM TV this morning. This includes financing the necessary repairs and refurbishments of the historic building.
The 15th-century cathedral’s interior, including a 400-year old organ and stained glass windows, was damaged greatly by fire on Saturday. Police suspect that the fire was started deliberately, saying that the perpetrator(s) lit up the building in three different places.
“The state will take care of the restoration of the cathedral of Nantes,” Le Maire said. “This is an obligation for the state because it is its property. It is an obligation because it is our culture, so we will respond.”
On Saturday, prime minister Jean Castex visited the cathedral when emergency services were still on site.
Yesterday, the cathedral launched its own fundraiser, which has gathered over €30,000. Most of the funds will be spent on restoring its organ, which has been classified as a historic monument and had survived a previous fire in 1972.
The cathedral has been damaged twice before, in 1944 (following an Allied bombing), and in 1972, after a worker accidentally set the roof on fire with a blow torch.
Earlier this month, France announced that it will also aid in restoring the Notre Dame-cathedral, which burned down on April 15th in 2019.
Amée Zoutberg
The Brussels Times
