French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati proposed to establish an entrance fee to the Notre-Dame Cathedral. In addition, the official believes that citizens of countries that are not part of the European Union should pay more for visiting the Louvre.
Dati told about this in a comment to Le Figaro.
According to Dati, she proposed the idea to the Archbishop of Paris. Rachida Dati believes that France needs more money to preserve numerous cultural monuments. For the same purpose, according to the government official, visitors from outside the EU should pay more for entrance tickets to the Louvre.
"Everywhere in Europe, access to the most outstanding religious buildings requires payment. With just €5 per visitor, we would collect €75 million a year. Thus, Notre Dame would save all the churches of Paris and France. Notre Dame awakened our attention to the religious heritage that belongs to all French people, regardless of their faith,” says Dati.
The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Bruno Retailleau supported his colleagueʼs proposal. He cited the example of the Church of the Holy Family in the Spanish capital, Barcelona, where tickets are sold.
Notre Dame is due to reopen to visitors in early December 2024. This will take place after five years of its colossal reconstruction. In April 2019, the 679-year-old temple was badly damaged by fire. The fire destroyed the roof and spire of the building, the walls, icons and the organ were also damaged.
For the restoration of Notre Dame, it was possible to raise almost a billion dollars around the world. President Emmanuel Macron then promised to restore the monument in five years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented it from being done in time. For now, it remains to complete the finishing works in the cathedral and set up the organ.
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Author: Anastasiia Mohylevets