French President Emmanuel Macron and Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo have pledged to ensure that the medieval Cathedral of Notre-Dame will be rebuilt following Monday’s devastating fire.

The inferno, which was first reported at around 7pm local time, claimed the Gothic building’s roof and felled its 19^th century spire as Parisians and tourists looked on in horror. Updates on the 850-year-old building’s stone work – including its signature towers – suggest the structure can be saved.

Last night RIBA president Ben Derbyshire said the cathedral was the “pinnacle of achievement by medieval stonemasons” and that the institute would support its restoration “to its rightful place in the pantheon of great structures”.

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