Notre Dame

Asa

Asa

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Notre Dame is on fire! This beautiful, masterpiece of a building is ablaze.


A church spokesman says the entire wooden interior ofthe 12th century landmark is burning and likely to be destroyed, writes AP.

Notre Dame spokesman Andre Finot told French media: "Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame."

I am crying. (If you have seen this building in person and witnessed how special it is, you will know why.)

News stories with minute-by-minute updates here:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...aris-france-stream-video-latest-a8871471.html
 
Ginny said:
As I wrote a while ago, I hope they can save the foundational structure at least. Maybe they can rebuild what is lost.
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Oh sorry, I did not see where you had posted.

Yes, I hope they can salvage it enough to rebuild... so much is stone.
Officials went in and tried to save artwork.
 
Asa said:
Oh sorry, I did not see where you had posted.
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It's no biggie*. I should have got the idea to make a thread myself.

Asa said:
Yes, I hope they can salvage it enough to rebuild... so much is stone.
Officials went in and tried to save artwork.
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But a lot of it is still wooden too. The roof and most of the nave is probably gone :(


*I'm sorry too, I don't mean to make you feel guilty.
 
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Oh no... So very sad. :( Just read about this.
 
Ginny said:
But a lot of it is still wooden too. The roof and most of the nave is probably gone :(
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The rose window is gone. A window I have seen in person, but is also a key example of math (and geometry) in art.

Ginny said:
*I'm sorry too, I don't mean to make you feel guilty.
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Oh, don't be sorry. :)
 
Buildings like this are icons of the greatness of humankind. It took almost 200 years to build, with the highest skill level of craftsmanship, the most talented artists and artisans, the Rose Window is one of the best examples of geometry in art, and it's gargoyles alone are world famous. People spent their lives building this cathedral and it is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture and an icon of France. It was beautiful and meaningful. Even if rebuilt, it can never be replaced.
 
Nearly 200 years ago, Victor Hugo wrote the Hunchback of Notre-Dame because the cathedral was in the process of collapsing and falling apart and the work so revitalized the world's love for this church that it led to it being renovated. And it will have to be renovated again. And again. And no doubt this tragedy will have us throwing more money and effort towards this cause. That's the nature of architecture: it needs to be consistently restored and carefully preserved. Prior to the fire, it was in the process of being restored because it was already in a terribly fragile state, so all the important statues and paintings were already removed. Part of the roof is from the 13th century, yes, but the rest is from the 19th century.

Yes, this was a terrible accident, and even though we don't know the extent of the damage just yet, I am confident of one thing: it will be rebuilt. And more rigorous measures will no doubt be taken for restoration projects going forward (and maybe get them started sooner than later).
 
Asa said:
Buildings like this are icons of the greatness of humankind. It took almost 200 years to build, with the highest skill level of craftsmanship, the most talented artists and artisans, the Rose Window is one of the best examples of geometry in art, and it's gargoyles alone are world famous. People spent their lives building this cathedral and it is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture and an icon of France. It was beautiful and meaningful. Even if rebuilt, it can never be replaced.
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Well said, Asa.

I felt like this when ISIS were going around destroying ancient sites. I cannot imagine a more profound kind of vandalism to destroy the patrimony of humankind in that way - it does something to our collective soul, I'm sure.

Thankfully the fire at Notre Dame appears not to have been deliberate, and so I take solace in the fact that when it is restored, it's 'soul' will remain intact thanks to the survival of something like a 'continuity of intent', if that makes sense to anyone.
 
Deleted member 16771 said:
Well said, Asa.

I felt like this when ISIS were going around destroying ancient sites. I cannot imagine a more profound kind of vandalism to destroy the patrimony of humankind in that way - it does something to our collective soul, I'm sure.

Thankfully the fire at Notre Dame appears not to have been deliberate, and so I take solace in the fact that when it is restored, it's 'soul' will remain intact thanks to the survival of something like a 'continuity of intent', if that makes sense to anyone.
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YES.
i cried so hard over the ancient sites being destroyed.
my first thought when i heard about this was that it was done on purpose.. what a sad world we live in sometimes.
 
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