Notre Dame Cathedral Severely Damaged By Fire

[trainmania100]

What a shame

A huge fire has broken out in Paris’s Notre-Dame cathedral. Videos circulating on social media shows flames and plumes of smoke pouring from the roof of the medieval building after it caught light this evening. One person on Twitter said: ‘Notre Dame Cathedral looks like a total loss. Man. 600 years of history, just gone.’
Notre Dame – which means ‘Our Lady’ – was build in 1160 and completed by 1260, and has been modified on a number of occasions throughout the century. It is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris, and is vistied by some 12million people every year. MFL

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2019/04/15/huge-fire-breaks-notre-dame-cathedral-9218296/?ito=cbshare

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2019/04/15/huge-fire-breaks-notre-dame-cathedral-9218296/?ito=cbshare

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

 

[SHD]

The feeling in Paris is incredibly depressing right now. 13th century timber, eight centuries of history going up in flames...

 

[Cowley]

Such a terrible shame.
I saw it mentioned that it’s been undergoing some renovation work recently. This often seems the case when incidents like this happen.

 

[LOL The Irony]

BBC giving live updates here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-47942176

 

[Giugiaro]

It's a disastrous tragedy. It's a huge blow, specially for the nation, being Notre Dame one of the most impressive French monuments and the starting point of all measurements in the country.

There's plenty of odd coincidences, but it is too soon to draw conclusions. Let's hope that the fire is fought successfully and that locals, visitors and firefighters are kept safe.

It seems most of the structure is in wood, much like St. Peters. Yikes! Just makes you wonder how fragile these monuments are and how much work goes to preserve and safeguard them!

 

[swt_passenger]

Such a terrible shame.
I saw it mentioned that it’s been undergoing some renovation work recently. This often seems the case when incidents like this happen.

There does seem to be a large amount of scaffolding present as shown in the various reports.

 

[507021]

A real shame.

 

[hexagon789]

Went inside only last June, a magnificent building - inside and out.

A great and tragic loss.

It reminds me of the Art School fire here in Glasgow and I'm sure the sentiment of Parisians towards Notre-Dame is much the same.

 

[Ladder23]

Devastating to watch, all those years.. a real shame

 

[507021]

Went inside only last June, a magnificent building - inside and out.

Seconded.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A terrible loss, but buildings are just buildings. I hope all inside were evacuated in good time (AIUI renovations were underway) and hope those fighting the fire stay safe (or as "safe" as possible).

 

[SHD]

Anyway, I guess that the CEO of the renovation works liability insurance company is already on a plane flying to the Bahamas...

 

[Cowley]

Anyway, I guess that the CEO of the renovation works liability insurance company is already on a plane flying to the Bahamas...

And somewhere in Paris is an electricians apprentice wondering if he remembered to unplug his boss’s dodgy drill charger before he left work...

 

[LOL The Irony]

Watching the BBC now. Apparently a Firefighter has been seriously injured. Hope they make a recovery.

 

[LOL The Irony]

On a better note, the rest of the building has been saved.

 

[hexagon789]

On a better note, the rest of the building has been saved.

That's something at least. Considering it's size and the apparent severity of the fire, they've very done well to salvage anything.

 

[DaveHarries]

On a better note, the rest of the building has been saved.

Along with, I gather, a reasonable amount of the artwork. Sadder, however, from a musical point of view will be the loss of the cathedral's two organs including what was probably the biggest cathedral organ in France (the one at the west end). I remember once hearing the sheer power of the main organ at a mass which my parents and I went to when we were staying with some friends of my Dad's. A wonderful building which will take many years to be fit for worship again but, once it is, it will never quite be the same.

The height of the cathedral will not have helped the firefighters either. As for comments about insurance companies and workers? Methinks now is not the time for such things.

Dave

 

[SHD]

Methinks it is perfectly acceptable to wash away in dark comedy the sadness we Parisians feel tonight, but you are free to disagree.

 

[LOL The Irony]

The Crown of Thorns Jesus supposedly wore was saved along with a Saint's tunic and several statues.

 

[Busaholic]

From my first visit to Paris in 1975, what I most remember was the strange, but wonderful, light inside the cathedral and the atmosphere, which you could cut with a knife. I'm speaking as a non-Christian, but it was amazingly powerful, and my wife felt the same.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Thankfully, the interior has mostly survived.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-exper...4/15/f7740604-7a1a-4f11-989f-6617b5d98bbd.jpg

 

[DaveHarries]

So may well be, musically (for the larger organ) nothing more than a major rebuild. I can but hope. I heard a recital given by Olivier Latry, one of Notre Dame's organists, in Worcester Cathedral (UK) back in 2014 and it was superb, honed by regular practice on the organ located under the towers at ND.

Hope nobody minds me posting this clip but M. Latry can be heard thundering away on the main organ in this clip. For anyone who likes classical and / or church music (apologies if you don't) then this is well worth a listen with a decent pair of headphones:

The photos I have seen in the last hour are leaving me feeling rather more positive than I did watching France 24 Live earlier this evening (15-Apr-2019).

Dave

 

[Giugiaro]

It seems a lot of the cathedral was saved or wasn't affected by the fire.

I wonder if, by any chance, the architect that designed the wooden spire and roof did so in a way they would colapse safely in case of a fire. It's amazing how the spire collapsed onto the building keeping the outside and surroundings from getting destroyed and also set ablaze. That and the fact it was placed on an island.

It's not the first time that a church was destroyed by a fire. Heck, not even the first building. Given the age of the cathedral, most of the surrounding buildings would be wooden or mostly wooden. If they planned it so that a fire on the church wouldn't burn the whole city as well that would be an amazing example of forethought in design!

 

[SHD]

The spire that crashed yesterday night was a 19th century addition by Viollet-le-Duc. The original spire was dismantled in the late 18th century. Most, if not all, of Notre-Dame's original surroundings have been destroyed relentlessly. Honestly, I very much doubt that urban planning in the mediaeval Île de la Cité was done with fire containment in mind

Here is a map of 14th-century Paris (drawn in the early 18th)



and mid-16th (redrawn in the late 18th)

 

[Polarbear]

This mornings news reports suggest that around 30% of the cathedral was damaged or destroyed. Thankfully, no one appears to have been hurt, and there were some very brave fire fighters who went on the scaffolding to try & fight the fire. Things may well have been worse but for their bravery.

The main structure of the building appears to be intact, which I for one will take as a positive. It will take time, but hopefully, the building can be restored to something like it’s historic state.

 

[Pyreneenguy]

Two of France's biggest companies: LVMH ( Louis Vuitton, Dior ) and Pinault ( Kering - Gucci ) have offered 300 millions euros to finance the rebuilding. Don't get me wrong, I rejoice at such generosity, however it dismays me that in a country as rich as France and despite the economic slowdown, finance cannot be found to give the homeless a decent roof over their heads. Yet another of President Macrons unfulfilled promises. M. Macron has announced a National Subscription to restore this National Treasure, with tax advantages of 90%. A shame as much cannot be done for other even more essential causes.
As an atheist, the spiritual side is completely lost on me, I do however realize just how important Notre Dame is for tourism, with 14 millions visitors each year.

 

[Clip]

Two of France's biggest companies: LVMH ( Louis Vuitton, Dior ) and Pinault ( Kering - Gucci ) have offered 300 millions euros to finance the rebuilding. Don't get me wrong, I rejoice at such generosity, however it dismays me that in a country as rich as France and despite the economic slowdown, finance cannot be found to give the homeless a decent roof over their heads.

The homeless problem is not LMVH or Pinaults problem to sort really is it?

M. Macron has announced a National Subscription to restore this National Treasure, with tax advantages of 90%. A shame as much cannot be done for other even more essential causes.

Well you would hope with such a progressive person as Macron(and others - especially some on here who I think cheered for him to be elected) should hopefully use the generosity of of those giving such large sums to fund the restoration as a way of not directing government funds to it and can then be spent on the homeless - but we all know that will not happen

 

[Esker-pades]

The organ has survived (ish). As a musician, I am very pleased.

 

[Groningen]

Source: Rikkie1971 (via Twitter)

 

[greyman42]

I would of thought that the catholic church will have more than enough in its coffers to cover the restoration.