Notre Dame fire: Emmanuel Macron vows to rebuild cathedral
President declares national emergency after Parisian landmark's spire and roof are devastated

A huge fire tore through the medieval cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris last night. The French landmark was saved from total destruction but the blaze devastated the spire and roof of the 850-year-old Gothic building.
An investigation has been opened by the prosecutor’s office after police said the fire began accidentally. A police spokesman has speculated that the blaze may be connected to restoration work at the cathedral, which is home to priceless works of art, attracting about 13m visitors a year.
Declaring a national emergency, French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “so sad tonight to see this part of all of us burn”. The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, tweeted: “Tonight, all Parisians and French people weep for this emblem of our communal history.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Theresa May tweeted that her thoughts were “with the people of France tonight,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the cathedral “a symbol of France and our European culture” while Donald Trump said it was “so horrible to watch the massive fire”.
Firefighters were still working to contain the blaze in the early hours of the morning as teams endeavoured to salvage the artwork stored inside. The famed Crown of Thorns, tunic of Saint Louis and other major works have been saved. One firefighter was seriously injured while tackling the flames.
The flames broke out at around 6:30pm local time. It swiftly reached the roof of the cathedral, destroying its stained-glass windows and the wooden interior before toppling the spire.
Thousands of Parisians watched from behind police cordons. According to an eye witness some were “howling and gasping” as they watched. Some sang Catholic liturgies while others sank to their knees.
Camille, a student from Normandy told The Guardian: “There’s a feeling of total sadness and also anger,” while Ruud van der Leij, a teacher from Rotterdam, said: “You can’t look away. It’s awful and fascinating at the same time. A terrible, awful, sad affair.” Paul Rechter, who lives just 100 metres from the cathedral, asked: “How on Earth could it have happened? Why were there no precautions?”
After Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild the cathedral, billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault, the chair and CEO of the group that owns the Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent brands, pledged €100m (£86m) towards rebuilding Notre-Dame.
The Archbishop of Paris called on all priests in the French capital to ring their church's bells as a gesture to Notre-Dame. The cathedral, rivalled only by the Eiffel Tower as a Parisian landmark, is famous for featuring in Victor Hugo's classic novel the Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How the woke right gained power in the US
Under the radar The term has grown in prominence since Donald Trump returned to the White House
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK
-
Codeword: April 24, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
Crossword: April 24, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
What does the Le Pen verdict mean for the future of French politics?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Convicted of embezzlement and slapped with a five year ban on running for public office, where does arch-conservative Marine Le Pen go from here — and will the movement she leads follow?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff