The National Heritage and Architecture Commission in Francis has given its approval to plans for a major renovation of the interior of Notre Dame.

The renovation plan, which would radically modernize the interior, have caused enormous controversy in France. Although the famous basilica was badly damaged by fire in 2019, the interior was mostly preserved. Early plans for restoration of the damage had promised to preserve the traditional look of the building.

In an article published December 7, a group of 100 artists and scholars decried the interior plan, saying that it “completely distorts the decor and liturgical space” of the cathedral. The London Telegraph reported fears that the interior would resemble a “politically correct Disneyland.”


Father Gilles Drouin, who is supervising the project, said that the new look would appeal to people “who are not always from a Christian culture.” He argued that Notre Dame “has always been open to art from the contemporary period.”