19/04/2019 18:01
Notre-Dame fire: Temporary wooden cathedral proposed
A temporary wooden cathedral should be built in the shadow of Notre-Dame's famed towers while the building is being repaired, officials have said.
The structure would serve as a home for worshippers and tourists alike, the rector of the Paris landmark, Monsignor Patrick Chauvet, suggested.
The 850-year-old Gothic cathedral has been closed after a fire tore through its roof and destroyed its spire.
French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed it will reopen in five years.
But temporary arrangements will need to be made in the meantime, Monsignor Chauvet told France's CNews.
"We mustn't say 'the cathedral is closed for five years and that's it'," he said.
"Can I not build an ephemeral cathedral on the esplanade [in front of Notre-Dame]?" he added.