Notre-Dame reconstruction: France's lost revolutionary spirit

An opinion piece by Massimiliano Tonelli on Artribune argues that France's decision to rebuild Notre-Dame Cathedral identically after the April 15, 2019 fire signals a loss of its revolutionary and innovative character. The author contrasts this with France's past as a benchmark for progress in health, infrastructure, education, and culture, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. He criticizes the lack of public debate and the rejection of contemporary architectural proposals, calling the reconstruction a 'historical fake.' The decision is linked to a broader political trend of populism, even under a non-populist government, and compared to Italy's reconstruction of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa. The piece reflects on how risk-taking and innovation have been replaced by a desire to reassure the public and maintain the status quo.