fire engulfs Notre Dame cathedral in Paris

[valley ranch]

The roof of famed Notre Dame in French capital collapses as firefighters struggle to contain the blaze.

Firefighters have saved the two main towers of Paris' famed Notre Dame cathedral from a massive blaze threatening the centuries-old building in the heart of the French capital, according to local officials.

General Jean-Claude Gallet, head of the Paris fire service, told reporters outside the cathedral late on Monday evening that the "main structure" of the building had been "preserved" amid the inferno, which had erupted just hours earlier.

Shortly afterwards, French President Emmanuel Macron said "the worst has been avoided, even if the battle has not been fully won". Calling the cathedral "the very centre of our lives", he vowed that France "will rebuild Notre Dame".

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019...e-cathedral-france-paris-190415170937511.html

 

[PhilaGardener]

So, so sad. So much like the Glasgow School of Art less than a year ago. Another iconic structure almost irreparably damaged, and so preventable. I mean, to renovate such historic structures without having fire suppression system in place . . . it is just inexcusable.

 

[baymule]

That is a terrible loss. I looked it up, it was built in 1163 and took twenty years to build.

 

[AMKuska]

That's terrible. Hopefully they can repair it.

 

[canesisters]

 

[flowerbug]

i hope they'll rebuild it with more a more fireproof material.

 

[PlantNurse15]

I can't believe it! Too bad it burned; it was such a work of art.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That is a terrible loss. I looked it up, it was built in 1163 and took twenty years to build.

Bay, it's worse than that. It took 182 years to build. Most of those old cathedrals took that long or longer to build. The ones that started them usually did not see them finished. What a leap of faith.

When was Notre-Dame built?
The cathedral was built on a small island called the Île de la Cité, in the middle of the Seine. Construction began in 1163, during the reign of King Louis VII, and was completed in 1345.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

There is history and dates that us American's simply cannot fathom. I read today that the crown of Jesus artifact was saved, from the 13th century. 13th century? Cannot understand that old of anything, course I've never been over there as an adult so haven't see much in the way of old things.

 

[canesisters]

Bay, it's worse than that. It took 182 years to build. Most of those old cathedrals took that long or longer to build. The ones that started them usually did not see them finished. What a leap of faith.

When was Notre-Dame built?
The cathedral was built on a small island called the Île de la Cité, in the middle of the Seine. Construction began in 1163, during the reign of King Louis VII, and was completed in 1345.

They've been saying on the radio for 2 days that it took 20 years to build and I kept thinking 'That doesn't sound right... I thought those things took generations..."
I wonder where they're getting their info? Probably facebook.