The French Senate has passed a bill requiring the Notre Dame Cathedral to be rebuilt as it stood before the fire that destroyed its roof and spire.

The bill will need to be agreed upon by senators and Deputes of the National Assembly before it can progress. If the bill is approved, this would put an end to the speculation amongst the public and architects alike, many of whom have been sharing radical and controversial design proposals on social media.

According to the bill, the restoration will need to recreate Eugene Viollet-le-Duc’s spire, and justify the use of any new materials in the reconstruction.

Other stipulations of the bill include the establishment of a public body to monitor the restoration, which would be overseen by the Ministry of Culture.

If the National Assembly agrees with the bill, the project would need to adhere to all standard building laws, which could jeopardise president Emmanuel Macron’s plans to have the restoration complete before the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The bill goes against the wishes of Macron and prime minister Edouard Philippe, who called the design competition to find ideas for an inventive reconstruction of the cathedral.

Image credit: Max Pixel