History For Sale

A fire severely damaged one of France’s most iconic landmarks—Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris—in 2019. Following an extensive restoration project, the Catholic church reopened last year. To repair the structure, workers had to replace approximately 14,000 square feet of stone. Now an organization called the Fondation du Patrimoine has raffled off about 50 of these fire-damaged fragments as part of a fundraising effort.

By entering the raffle, people received a chance to own a piece of history. The nearly 700-year-old Notre-Dame was built between the 12th and 14th centuries, during the Middle Ages, in Europe. It’s one of the most well-known examples of Gothic architecture—a style featuring ornate arches and decorations.

The raffle, which ended on April 4, was open to anyone 18 or older who donated an amount equal to at least $43. The selected winners each received a limestone block from Notre-Dame weighing nearly 2 pounds. Each block is engraved with an image of the cathedral, including its iconic stained-glass rose window.

Winners must agree not to sell, gift, or trade the stones. This prevents them from profiting from owning a part of the structure. The foundation will use the funds from the raffle to preserve other French landmarks and heritage sites. About 5,000 out of 50,000 historically significant places in the country need renovation.

While maintaining these sites is important, there’s an argument to be made against giving away pieces of history to do so. Instead of ending up in private hands, Notre-Dame’s stones could have been displayed in museums or other cultural institutions. That way, anyone could learn about the famous cathedral and the devastating event that nearly destroyed it.