320,000 Parisians oppose new stained glass featuring blacks in Notre-Dame

Current stained glass (right) and new one (left). Photo: open sources

In France, a scandal has erupted over plans to replace the stained glass windows in the Notre-Dame Cathedral. This is reported by the publication La Tribune de l’Art. President Emmanuel Macron supported the idea of installing new stained glass windows by contemporary artist Claire Tabouret featuring black characters, even though the surviving 19th-century stained glass windows by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc were not damaged in the 2019 fire. The project is estimated to cost millions of euros.

A petition organized by La Tribune de l’Art has been signed by more than 323,000 people. The authors of the document claim that the head of state made the decision independently, without considering heritage protection legislation. The petition questions how the restoration of stained glass windows that survived the fire can be justified with their immediate removal, and who gave the president the right to alter a cathedral that belongs to everyone.

Emmanuel Macron, who did not comment on the petition, has repeatedly stated the need to leave a "modern trace" of the 21st century in Notre-Dame, despite objections from the National Commission for Heritage and Architecture.

As reported by the UOJ, Notre-Dame's old stained glass will be replaced with modern works featuring blacks. The cathedral was opened to visitors in December 2024 after a five-year restoration following a massive fire that destroyed the roof and spire of the building. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Read also