France will launch an international competition to rebuild the Notre Dame needle

The goal is "to give to Our Lady a new needle adapted to the techniques and the challenges of our time", Philippe said at a press conference in Paris, according to the agency AFP.

In this way Architects from all over the world will be able to present their projects and proposals.

Philip's statements were made after a council of ministers dedicated exclusively to the reconstruction of the Gothic cathedral, which caught fire on Monday.

As reported by the rector of the church, Bishop Patrick Chauvet, at the agency AP, it is estimated that the reconstruction of the cathedral will take between five and six years, period during which it will remain closed to the public.

The conflagration devastated the roof of the structure built between 1163 and 1345, damaged many relics and architectural jewels and completely destroyed the needle, or arrow.

In the case of the latter,it was a version manufactured and badembled in the 19th century by the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, after the withdrawal of the original in 1786, after centuries of fatigue and weakening.

The lost needle Monday was surrounded by copper statues of the 12 apostles and animals representing the four evangelists, according to Christian tradition, which had been removed ten days before the fire to be restored and saved from destruction.

Until now, and despite the damage,e considers that the central structure in wood and stone has not been compromised and that the cathedral can be restored, task for which you have already met nearly 900 million euros.

The giants of fashion and cosmetics The LVMH Group, Kering and L & # 39; Oréal have promised each other about 500 million euros, while the gas Total was involved with 100 million additional euros. A large number of companies, including the Capgemini board, the Crédit Agricole bank and the American technology company Apple, pledged to pay the remaining 200 million euros.

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, said Tuesday that the reconstruction work they will require five years and that in the end Our Lady will be "even more beautiful" than before.

The President hopes that the cathedral can reopen for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024, although some experts point out that the work could take longer, including rebuilding the collapsed roof.