Fund to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral after blaze hits billion-euro mark

Ellen Manning
Updated

The fund to help rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral has already hit the one billion euro mark.

According to reports, TV personality Stephane Bern said on Wednesday that a billion euros has now been pledged to help rebuild the monument after it was ravaged by fire earlier this week.

Donors include French billionaires Bernard Arnault, chairman of luxury goods group LVMH, and Francois Pinault, who pledged 200 million euro (£173 million) and a reported 100 million euro (£86 million) respectively.

L'Oreal Group, the Bettencourt Meyers family and the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation has also jointly also pledged 200 million euro while oil and gas company Total said it would give 100 million euro towards reconstructing the "architectural jewel".

Notre Dame was ravaged by fire, prompting a global outpouring of emotion (Picture: Reuters)
Notre Dame was ravaged by fire, prompting a global outpouring of emotion (Picture: Reuters)

French publisher Ubisoft, creator of the Assassin’s Creed video games, has also pledged 500,000 euros (£434,000) and Disney also announced a five million US dollar (£3.8 million) contribution.

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French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a national subscription to help rebuild the monument.

Notre Dame; extent of damage. See story FIRE NotreDame. Infographic from PA Graphics
Notre Dame; extent of damage. See story FIRE NotreDame. Infographic from PA Graphics

An investigation is underway into the cause of the blaze, with 50 investigators reportedly interviewing workers from five companies hired to work on renovations to the cathedral roof.

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The fire at Notre Dame prompted a global outpouring of support, with the Queen saying she was "deeply saddened" and Pope Francis offering his prayers.

The bells at Westminster Abbey tolled at 5.43pm on Tuesday afternoon - 24 hours after the fire started - and church bells tolled across Paris exactly 48 hours after the blaze began.

Emergency crew outside the front of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris following a fire which destroyed much of the building on Monday evening.
An investigation is underway into the cause of the blaze at Notre Dame (Picture: PA)
Undated handout screenshot issued by Ubisoft of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, as it appears in their game Assassin's Creed Unity.
Ubisoft, creator of the Assassin's Creed games which feature Notre Dame, has pledged money to the fund to rebuild the landmark (Picture: PA)

Prime Minister Theresa May announced bells at churches and cathedrals across England would ring in a further show of solidarity on Maundy Thursday.

She described images of the destruction as "truly heart-rending", adding: "President Macron has pledged to rebuild the cathedral and I have conveyed to him that the UK will support this endeavour however we can."

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