Rima Abdul Malak visited the Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens on Tuesday, April 11 to visit the building which has benefited from important work of securing in the framework of the plan "safety cathedrals" of France Relance. The Minister of Culture announced an expansion of this major heritage plan initiated in 2019, following the Notre-Dame de Paris fire.
Tuesday, April 11, 2023, in Amiens, the Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul Malak, in particular with Jean-François Hébert, Director General of Heritage and Architecture, andAntoine-Marie Prepass, advisor in charge of heritage and architecture, ofÉtienne Stoskopf, Prefect of the Somme, Hilary Multon, Regional Director of Cultural Affairs of Hauts-de-France, Franck Sénant, Deputy DRAC Delegate for Assets, Richard Duplat, chief architect of historical monuments, Caroline Dolacinski, head of the UDAP of the Somme and curator of the building, Françoise Laty, Regional Curator of Historic Monuments (CRMH), and many elected officials including Brigitte Fouré, Mayor of Amiens, representing the Hauts-de-France region, and Stéphane Haussoulier, President of the Departmental Council of the Somme.
On this occasion, the Minister announced the expansion of the «safety of cathedrals» plan: in 2023, the Ministry of Culture mobilizes a budget of 52 million euros for cathedrals (excluding Notre-Dame de Paris), or 23% more than in 2022 (excluding recovery plan). Within this budget, 40 million euros will be spent on restoration work, such as those committed to Beauvais cathedral, and 12 million for fire safety.
Feedback on recent work to improve the safety of Notre-Dame d'Amiens Cathedral
Under the project management of the Regional Conservation of Historical Monuments (CRMH), the improvement of the means of defense and firefighting of the cathedral Notre-Dame d'Amiens have been the subject of a consultation with all the partners concerned and in particular the SDIS 80 (Service Départemental d'Incendie et de Secours de la Somme). Begun in mid-October 2021, the work funded for the farm unit completed at the end of January 2022 as part of the “safety of cathedrals” plan of the State recovery plan, was completed at the end of March 2023.
The work resulted in the creation of a new crinoline ladder, an additional dry column and the overlapping of the attic, and focused on two major areas: the protection of the building and the improvement of access for firefighters.
Guided by Richard Duplat, chief architect of historical monuments and Franck Sénant, Deputy RDCA, Rima Abdul Malak took note of the Plan for the Safeguarding of Cultural Property (PSBC) of Notre-Dame d'Amiens, presented by Françoise Laty, regional curator of historical monuments. This PSBC is one of 66 existing today in France, compared to 13 in 2019: the «Cathedral Security» plan has accelerated the formalization of procedures facilitating the evacuation and protection of works in the event of a disaster.
Thus, once she arrived at the North Tower of the Amiens Cathedral, the Minister was able to attend the SDIS 80 fire brigade exercise on fire defences: In particular, the new dry column from the ground to reach the roof of the large attic of the main ship of the nave was launched.
Presentation of the role of Single Security Officer, by Caroline DOLACINSKI, Head of the UDAP of the Somme, DRAC Hauts-de-France.
From Notre-Dame d'Amiens Cathedral to Saint-Antoine de Conty Church (80)
The delegation then joined Conty, a small village of less than 2,000 inhabitants located south of the Somme. It was notably welcomed by Pascal Bohin, Mayor of the Municipality and Councillor Department of the Canton of Ailly-sur-Nove.
Like the cathedral of Amiens, thechurch of Saint-Antoine de Conty is the subject of work: the restoration of the 16th century building is divided into 6 phases that the State accompanies to the tune of 50%, as part of the Incentive and Partnership Fund (IPE) Intended primarily for rural municipalities, often deprived of the challenge of preserving their historic monuments. This incentive mechanism, targeted and partnership-based, makes it possible to finance State intervention, on the one hand, through higher subsidy rates, and on the other hand, regional operations involving monuments in danger or in poor condition.
The estimated cost of the work on the Church of Saint-Antoine de Conty is 520,562 euros, with a share of the state of 260,281 euros.