Notre Dame de Paris, a monumental cathedral that has survived the French Revolution and two World Wars, has once again succeeded to have partially escaped the raging fire that unfortunately destroyed the spire and the wooden roof top on April 15, 2019. Notre Dame, built 856 years ago, is a significant icon of religion, history, architecture and of course Paris itself. As a French citizen, I believe it is imperative to fix the unacceptable damage of the raging fire, and these are the reasons why I think so.

Considered to be one of the most famous cathedrals worldwide, Notre Dame de Paris is a huge symbol of Catholicism. Not only is the building a sacred place, it is also home to 700 artifacts, relics and other sacred objects that belong in the cathedral (Le Cain). For example, the Crown of Thorns, which is known to have been placed on Jesus Christ’s head during the events leading to his crucifixion was stored in Notre Dame, and was safely rescued by a priest during the fire of 2019 (Burke). The relics of Saint Denis and Saint Genevieve, patron saints of Paris were also stored in the cathedral before the fire ("Notre-Dame De Paris"). Countless other relics of saints can be found in Notre Dame and are priceless artifacts to Catholics. These sacred objects are part of Notre Dame. This is why it is important to fix the damages of the cathedral, in order to restore its treasures to their rightful position. Home to the most coveted relics in Christendom, this “religious museum” as I would describe it, is a precious part of Catholicism and its devotees.

Moreover, Notre Dame has also been a place of origin for historical events that the French nation has kept at heart. Saint Joan of Arc who is known to have been executed for heresy in 1431, was beatified as a saint in the cathedral of Notre Dame in 1909. Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned emperor of France at Notre Dame in 1804. The liberation of Paris from Nazi occupation during WWII (on August 24, 1944) was announced by Notre Dame’s immense tenor bell. In addition, Notre Dame hosted the funeral of Charles de Gaulle (the leader who guided France’s resistance during the war) twenty-six years later. All of these important events are symbolic of France's history, all leading back to Notre Dame (Notre Dame Cathedral: A Symbol Of France).  

Furthermore, another important reason why we should rebuild Notre Dame, is because of its symbolic French Gothic architecture. Notre Dame de Paris was built during the Medieval Era and is known as one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. Situated on the Ile de la Cite (an island in the Seine River), Notre Dame is famous for its external statues and gargoyles, sharply pointed spire, clustered columns, the stone structures, large rose windows that allow light to enter the cathedral, the ribbed vaults, and of course, its flying buttresses which help support and keep the building in place when fractures began to appear. These characteristics of the cathedral’s architecture were some of the first examples of their style to appear in the world. This is why its uniqueness is not only a symbol of France, but a symbol of architecture itself ("Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris: Gothic Architecture").

As much as I believe Notre Dame de Paris should be reconstructed, some people say that they would rather see money being donated to more urgent or important causes such as homelessness or environmental organizations (Warren). Some say that donating money to some old historical building won't really help anyone, and I completely understand that. I also agree that there are more urgent matters to worry about; however, I believe it is crucial to preserve a country's symbol, a country’s sacred place. These beautiful unique historical buildings are what makes a country’s culture, beliefs, and unity so strong. This is why donating to preserve a symbol such as Notre Dame is something I believe to be important to preserve our history and helps the ones in need, without focusing on one more than the other. This however, doesn't mean we shouldn't donate to other organizations that help others around the world.

Last but definitely not least, Notre Dame is at the heart of Paris. It is said that the city of Paris itself was constructed and spread around Notre Dame, making it a prominent symbol of the city. “Notre Dame de Paris” which also translates into “Our Lady of Paris” proves how we as a French nation are proud to have this cathedral, this lady, as a symbol of Paris. This is a major reason why Notre Dame is so important to a lot of us, because it is the center of one of the most beautiful cities in our world. It would be a shame to see a symbol of Paris and France’s nation ruined and not repaired properly.  

In conclusion, I believe rebuilding the symbol of France is important not only as a French citizen, but also as a person who wants to preserve a country's history. I believe this building is far more important than we are led to believe, because it is a symbol of religion, history, architecture, and culture in itself.