By Lauren Roseman, '22On Monday, April 15, the Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris caught fire. In addition to mourning the significant religious, architectural and cultural loss, Parisians are devastated about the downfall of a landmark that withstood 'the city of lights' greatest tumults and tragedies, from the French Revolution of 1789 to the 2015 Islamic State terrorist attacks which killed 129 people. The fire destroyed the church’s iconic spire and most of the oak roof, built with 1,300 trees. Fortunately, much of the cathedral’s artwork remains intact, including the 13th-century stained-glass rose window, the vaunted 8000-piped organ, and the Crown of Thorns, which was believed to have been worn by Jesus Christ on the cross.The fire likely ignited while construction workers were renovating the building. Police investigators believe that a “computer glitch,” or an “electrical short-circuit” related to the renovations, caused the flames. Investigators are also determining if the temporary elevators used during construction played a role in causing the fire. Officials say that they will conclude the exact cause for the fire within two to three months.Immediately after the flames died out, President Emmanuel Macron announced, “we will rebuild Notre Dame.” Within two days, individuals and corporations donated almost $1 billion in support of the building’s restoration. Although Macron stated that renovations will conclude by the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, experts argue that it may take longer. Historians, architects, and French officials are currently deliberating the design of Notre Dame’s reconstruction. The cathedral, built from 1163 to 1245, had boasted one of the world’s finest examples of Gothic architecture, but some believe the renovation should incorporate contemporary designs and technologies. Macron announced that former French chief of staff of the armed forces, Jean-Louis Georgelin, will oversee the reconstruction.Macron's proposal for international submissions of Notre Dame's spire redesign has provoked outrage among France's conservative Catholics, who decry modern architecture as an aberration for their most valued landmark.Over 70% of respondents out of 35,000 in one French online poll viewed post-fire redesign of Notre Dame negatively.Still, President Macron’s popularity has increased since the fire. According to a poll by BVA Institute, Macron’s approval rating increased by 3%, bringing him to the support level he had in September, prior to his tax increase on retirees. French surveys find that his pro-European Union party, En Marche, is ahead in the polls for France’s upcoming European Parliament election on May 26. The far-right National Rally party led by Marine Le Pen is trailing close behind.Sources:https://thehill.com/opinion/international/439742-how-do-we-responsibly-rebuild-notre-damehttps://www.thisisinsider.com/french-trees-to-rebuild-notre-dame-are-too-small-2019-4https://nypost.com/2019/04/19/notre-dame-rector-says-computer-glitch-likely-started-cathedral-fire/https://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/notre-dame-cathedral-fire-cause-computer-glitch-rector-today-2019-04-19-live-updates/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/what-was-lost-and-saved-from-the-notre-dame-firehttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-notredame-restoration/debate-over-future-notre-dame-spire-fuels-french-divisions-idUSKCN1RU255