French fundraiser offers chance to win piece of Notre-Dame
PARIS
A French organization dedicated to the conservation of historic heritage on March 4 launched a fund-raising drive offering participants a chance to win an authentic fragment of Notre Dame cathedral.
Fifty limestone cubes, each measuring seven centimeters by seven centimeters and weighing nearly 800 grams, will be awarded to winners drawn at random in April 7-11.
Each fragment will carry a brass plaque authenticating its provenance.
The stones come from the rubble of the cathedral, which nearly burned down in 2019, but was fully renovated and re-opened last December, La Fondation du Patrimoine (the Heritage Foundation) said.
The organization said the stones were too damaged and could no longer be used.
Each participant has until April 4 to make a donation of at least 40 euros through the organization’s website to help save France's religious heritage.
"Beyond this emblematic monument, thousands of small Notre Dames throughout France are in danger and deserve our attention," the organization said in a statement.
"With this competition, we want to remind people that every donation counts in preserving these treasures of religious heritage."
Around 5,000 religious buildings in France are in poor condition and require immediate intervention.
La Fondation du Patrimoine was one of four organizations tasked with collecting money to restore the French capital's most famous place of worship.
