French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday night that “the worst has been avoided, but the battle has not been fully won,” as he briefed the nation on the fire that engulfed the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.

Mr. Macron spoke on French television after inspecting the scene and shortly after French fire officials said they had contained the fire and the cathedral’s famed twin bell towers had been preserved.

The president said it would be France’s “destiny” to rebuild the burned-out Catholic church and announced a national subscription would be inaugurated Tuesday to begin raising funds for the reconstruction effort.

“This will be our project for years to come,” Mr. Macron said.

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