Staněk offers France the help of Czech experts in the restoration of the cathedral

Prague - Minister of Culture Antonín Staněk is prepared to offer France the assistance of Czech experts in the restoration of the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which today was struck by a large fire. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture, Martha Häckl, said this to ČTK. The sadness over the damage to this monument of world significance is shared by other Czech politicians as well. Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček compared the disaster to the fire at the National Theatre.

"I am horrified to watch the news about the devastating fire at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. I still hope that a larger part of the structure can be saved," stated Staněk. "I am prepared to offer France the help of our experts in restoring this extraordinary monument of world significance. For France, this is a huge blow, especially now in the lead-up to Easter," the spokesperson conveyed Staněk's statement.

The sadness of French colleagues in heritage conservation is also shared by the Czech branch of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). "We are very sorry for the event regarding the fire at Paris's Notre-Dame. We hope that this globally significant UNESCO monument will be at least partially saved and restored," Václav Girsa told ČTK on behalf of ICOMOS.

"The fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral is an immense tragedy not only for France but for the entire world's cultural heritage. We firmly believe that the fire will be brought under control as soon as possible and that as much as possible of this unique monument can be saved. The National Heritage Institute is ready to assist within its capabilities," said the spokesperson for the National Heritage Institute, Jana Hartmanová, to ČTK.

"It is a great tragedy to see the burning Notre-Dame Cathedral. That feeling of sorrow has persisted among us Czechs for generations when a building connected to our national history burned. I wish the French people that the fire is brought under control quickly," Petříček stated on Twitter.

Flames were leaping from the famous structure for several hours, and thick smoke was rising. The building lost its slender spire, its entire roof collapsed, and the flames also engulfed one of the well-known square towers. Late in the evening, firefighters announced that the structure of the burning Notre-Dame Cathedral would be spared from total destruction. Two of the cathedral's towers were also saved. Although flames spread to one of them, their spread was successfully stopped.

The cathedral is considered one of the most beautiful examples of French Gothic architecture, located on the Île de la Cité in the Seine River. It is one of the most visited monuments in the metropolis, attracting 13 million visitors annually. The cathedral is currently undergoing restoration, and scaffolding is present on some parts.