People pass by the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, which was severely damaged by a fire in 2019, as restoration efforts continue ahead of its reopening in Paris, France, on November 22, 2024. – Reuters

Through an outpouring of donations ranging from $10 to $10 million, Americans have demonstrated their deep affection for Paris's Notre Dame cathedral, rallying to support the revival of a cherished monument. "After the French, the Americans have been the biggest donors by far," Michel Picaud, president of the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, told AFP, as the cathedral prepares to reopen next month. Founded in 2017, the organization witnessed a surge in donations following the catastrophic fire that engulfed the cathedral on April 15, 2019. To date, the group, headquartered in New Hampshire, has collected $57 million from 45,000 donors, with Americans leading the contributions. Notable donations include $10 million each from the Starr Foundation and the Marie-Josee and Henry Kravis Foundation. When combined with donations to other Notre Dame support groups, such as the French Heritage Society in New York, which received $2 million from the Estee Lauder family, Picaud estimates American contributions to the restoration fund total $62 million.

Constructed over 600 years before the Eiffel Tower, the cathedral on Paris's Ile de la Cite is considered "one of the world's great treasures," as former US President Barack Obama described it during his visit in June 2009. Obama was just one of many American presidents to visit the cathedral, including Thomas Jefferson, who visited in the 1780s while serving as ambassador to France. Despite being a young nation, the United States boasts museums filled with medieval masterpieces, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art's reconstructed cloisters from four French abbeys in Manhattan.

For Americans, Notre Dame represents a tangible symbol of premodern European history, evoking a nostalgic connection to a rich and complex past, according to Meredith Cohen, a professor of medieval art and architecture at UCLA. Additionally, Americans have a deep appreciation for Victor Hugo, whose works and writings on Notre Dame, as well as his vivid portrayal of Revolutionary Paris in 'Les Miserables,' have made the cathedral famous. References to the cathedral permeate American culture, from early black-and-white films to recent animations. Hugo's 1831 novel "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" was adapted into a silent-film classic in 1923, with subsequent versions including a 1956 film featuring Anthony Quinn and Disney's 1996 animation. The cathedral also appears in numerous Hollywood films, such as Vincent Minnelli's "An American in Paris," Stanley Donen's "Charade," Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," and Pixar's "Ratatouille."

For Professor Michael Davis, a specialist in French Gothic art, the cathedral's facade is an instantly recognizable symbol not only of the cathedral itself but also of Paris, France, the Middle Ages, and the Catholic faith. The devastating fire that struck the cathedral five years ago elicited a global wave of shock and concern, with major TV networks interrupting their broadcasts to cover the event. As the flames consumed the structure's wooden framework, then-President Donald Trump suggested in a tweet that French authorities consider using "flying water tankers" to combat the fire, a suggestion the French Civil Security agency dismissed.

The emotional impact was felt deeply by many Americans. "If millions of visitors to Paris and France have seen one Gothic cathedral, it is probably Notre Dame, and the fire of April 15, 2019, undoubtedly activated the memory of that encounter and the bond to the cathedral," said Davis, a board member of the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris. Bertrand Badre, a former World Bank managing director and another board member, praised the "generous and immediate" response of American donors, noting that their heartfelt contributions were accompanied by touching testimonials.

UCLA's Cohen concurred, stating that Americans generally have a strong affinity for Paris and France's rich culture, including its philosophers, artists, fashion houses, and the food and wine culture popularized by Julia Child. "All of this is tied to Notre Dame," she said.

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