France to launch international contest to rebuild Notre-Dame spire

France will invite architects from around the world to submit designs for rebuilding the spire of Notre-Dame cathedral that was destroyed in a devastating blaze, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Wednesday.

The goal is "to give Notre-Dame a new spire that is adapted to the techniques and the challenges of our era," Philippe said at a press conference in Paris.

Photos: AFP

Artefacts rescued from the Notre Dame blaze in Paris. (AP)

Flames and smoke rise from the blaze at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019. (AP)