France Considering Entry Fee at Iconic Notre Dame Cathedral When it Reopens for Visitors After a Devastating Fire

France Culture Minister Rachida Dati has said that her ministry is considering an entrance fee to visit Notre Dame Cathedral, news organisations have reported.

Rachida Dati told newspaper Le Figaro published on Wednesday that her ministry is planning collection of 5 euros per visitor, and accordingly it can raise 75 million euros ($81 million) a year. This money would then be spent in the upkeep of medieval church buildings and cathedrals, which now are religious heritage in France.

A nasty fire broke out in Notre Dame in 2019 year, devastating the famous medieval cathedral in the city of Rouen in western France, severely damaging the roof and the spire. The cathedral has been undergoing renovation at present.  President Emmanuel Macron had pledged to rebuild Notre-Dame within five years, drawing massive private-sector financial support.

Prior to the fire, Notre Dame's iconic towers had already charged an entry fee. Each visitor paid 8.50 euros to climb the 387 steps and gain access to a panoramic view of Paris and a close-up of the cathedral.

After the renovation, the cathedral is scheduled to reopen for the visitors from December this year.