Notre-Dame de Paris - cathedral on fire!

[Oystein]

Most of the flammable material is in the roof, heat rises, so it is not clear to mee that TOO much of the stone structure will deteriorate due to heat. But of course the roof is important to the structural integrity, or so I'd assume.

Among the most famous, and most important, details are the rose windows of stained glass, the three big ones being originals, 750+ years old. I see no chance to salvage any part of the north and south rose
The west rose, almost 800 years old - perhaps they manage to keep that cool enough along with the towers themselves...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris#Stained_glass_—_rose_windows

 

[Trebuchet]

The roof appears to be mostly or entirely gone.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!

 

[Oystein]

Has anyone ever read Victor Hugo's novel "Notre Dame de Paris" (as opposed to watching a "Hunchback of Notre Dame" movie)?

It is essentially a big love letter to gothic architecture, and the value of preserving historic monuments. I read a translation many (like 30?) years ago - one of the most memorable books I ever read. I still feel Hugo's passion. It hurts today.

 

[Architect]

Too soon for any of you to jump to conclusions about the state of the stone and so on. Trust me on this.



It certainly looks worse than York Minster, which was at least contains to one transept. A sad day indeed.

 

[pgwenthold]

Trump Tweets

So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!

He knows more about firefighting than anyone, right?

 

[Belz...]

Currently reporting no deaths or injuries. That is good news.

I'm going to sound like an asshat but I would've traded a few lives to keep this priceless, timeless artpiece. Generations have looked to this building as an important piece of history.

 

[theprestige]

it's a very strange feeling when something that has existed through the ages gets destroyed before your eyes.

I get your point, but "through the ages" is a bit misleading. It's only been about 900 years since construction started. Not much older than Oxford University, or Tenochtitlan.

 

[Lukraak_Sisser]

I hope they will manage to save as much as possible. But still, a staggering amount of irreplaceable history is going up in flames as we watch.

Surviving untold civil wars, a revolution, 2 world wars only to be destroyed by an error in renovations

 

[Oystein]

On CBSN, they are saying that the roof has collapsed completely, and there is now fire everywhere inside the church.

Difficult to imagine that fire fighters could or would be inside now to attack the blaze. Very depressing.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

If only they had raked the floor...


too soon?

 

[Childlike Empress]

Has anyone ever read Victor Hugo's novel "Notre Dame de Paris" (as opposed to watching a "Hunchback of Notre Dame" movie)?

It is essentially a big love letter to gothic architecture, and the value of preserving historic monuments. I read a translation many (like 30?) years ago - one of the most memorable books I ever read. I still feel Hugo's passion. It hurts today.

I did. I also visited the place around 30 years ago when I was an insufferable teenager. I thought it was overrated. As sad as it is to see this historical monument suffer, my advice to Micron is that he shouldn't try to use it to stop what is planned for May 1st (making him eat cake).

 

[Belz...]

I get your point, but "through the ages" is a bit misleading. It's only been about 900 years since construction started.

So only the middle ages, the renaissance, the age of discovery, the age of enlightenment, the age of revolutions, the victorian age and the modern age.

I think those count as "ages", plural.

 

[TragicMonkey]

Very sad. Definitely ND is in the top hundred best cathedrals of France. My art history snobbery leads to to suspect many if not most of the foreign bereaved cannot actually name a second cathedral in France.

 

[Architect]

Yes, definitely worse than York Minster.. Although that was bad too.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-28112373

 

[theprestige]

So only the middle ages, the renaissance, the age of discovery, the age of enlightenment, the age of revolutions, the victorian age and the modern age.

I think those count as "ages", plural.

Eh. I take a somewhat longer view, I guess.

 

[Architect]

Very sad. Definitely ND is in the top hundred best cathedrals of France. My art history snobbery leads to to suspect many if not most of the foreign bereaved cannot actually name a second cathedral in France.

Chartres. Want more?

 

[Belz...]

Very sad. Definitely ND is in the top hundred best cathedrals of France. My art history snobbery leads to to suspect many if not most of the foreign bereaved cannot actually name a second cathedral in France.

Reims.

Shut up.

 

[Belz...]

Eh. I take a somewhat longer view, I guess.

The building's 900 years old, man. Concede the point.

 

[Steve]

I'm going to sound like an asshat but I would've traded a few lives to keep this priceless, timeless artpiece. Generations have looked to this building as an important piece of history.

I understand what you are saying, but it wouldn't have been a trade. It would just mean that we had lost lives along with the building and contents.