PARIS — More than five years after the devastating fire ravaged Notre Dame , igniting nearly $1 billion in pledged donations within days, restoration chief Philippe Jost says around $148 million still remains from the funds as the cathedral prepares to reopen next month. The surplus, sourced from both billionaire benefactors and countless small donors, will be used to support vital future preservation work on the 861-year-old Gothic monument. Jost praised the generosity after the fire and the management of the restoration funds that were "entrusted to someone very attentive and professional," he told a press conference in Paris.
He noted that these funds will be used “in agreement with the patrons and donors to carry out needed work campaigns,” as Notre Dame faces continued demands for preservation and structural integrity. Jost also confirmed, in response to a question from The Associated Press, that the billionaire tycoons who pledged vast sums in the aftermath of the blaze have “fully fulfilled their financial commitments” and “honored their pledges made on the night of the fire or in the hours that followed.” This was not always certain.
In the hours and days following the fire on April 15, 2019, nearly $1 billion was pledged by some of France’s wealthiest figures . Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury conglomerate LVMH, committed €200 million, matched by the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation of the L’Oréal family, while François Pinault, founder of Kerin.
