[Dentari]

Notre Dame cathedral is currently ablaze. The central spire has collapsed and Emmanuel Macron has apparently just arrived on scene.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47941794

I've not long visited Paris, so this is completely blowing my mind right now... I can't begin to imagine how the French population are handling this.

[merTYol]

its horrific... i managed to see it 13 years ago. only just the outside but still.

such a masterpiece of architecture. such a shame...

[Sul-Matuul]

Pretty terrible.

The sad part is that had it not been for the restoration work (the suspected cause of this fire) then the building was at risk of falling apart anyway. Such a shame the thing meant to save it ends up doing such damage.

That said though, these big old buildings are nearly all solid stone structures so with any luck the actual walls etc will be in a reasonable state after the fire has burnt all the fuel inside. Won't do much for the priceless history burned up but at least the skeleton of the building might be salvageable. And cathedrals/historic buildings in much worse states have been rebuilt into their former glory many times in the past (Cologne cathedral, most of central Dresden); all is not lost.

[Dentari]

Pretty terrible.

The sad part is that had it not been for the restoration work (the suspected cause of this fire) then the building was at risk of falling apart anyway. Such a shame the thing meant to save it ends up doing such damage.

That said though, these big old buildings are nearly all solid stone structures so with any luck the actual walls etc will be in a reasonable state after the fire has burnt all the fuel inside. Won't do much for the priceless history burned up but at least the skeleton of the building might be salvageable. And cathedrals/historic buildings in much worse states have been rebuilt into their former glory many times in the past (Cologne cathedral, most of central Dresden); all is not lost.

All very true.

What is becoming an emerging crisis at many heritage sites and museums around the world is the neglect shown for electrics running through them. If I remember correctly a short circuit was a suspected cause of the fire that destroyed the vast majority of the collection at the National Museum of Brazil. It's a growing problem as the buildings which house historically significant collections (and often are historically significant themselves) further age. Whilst all the care in the world is taken to preserve a building, little to no money is set aside or can be sourced for essential modernisation. This problem is often fuelled by an unwillingness to close a site to the public to facilitate maintenance.

Ranting aside, this may very well not be the cause of the fire at all! I genuinely hope that at least some of the stained glass survives the fire - especially the rose window (a miniature of which I have hanging up in my home).

[WelshAvenger]

Horrible, just horrible to watch the old lady burn.

I can only imagine that the French government and Catholic church will want to rebuild rather than preserve whatever remains of it after the fire.

Attachment 10608

[Miles]

Sad feelings for what happened...

[Nesta]

My heart goes out to all those currently watching the blaze wreak havoc across the Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris. Kyrie Eleison; Lord, have Mercy. For it would be a true shame to see such an ancient, beautiful building destroyed by fire.

[Seapanda]

Thankfully the bell towers and the main structure have been saved, so there's still hope for renovation.