Oh no! Notre Dame is on fire

[twinklebug]

A far shot of the altar. I'm amazed this is structurally intact!

I look at this picture and see so many stories:

• the smoke around the alter, glowing fire still burning above <pause to think on that one, it's quite symbolic in many ways>
• the firefighter, probably exasperated like most at the sheer size of this place they need to work with
• the candles, each of which was lit and burning as a prayer or for a loved one, at this point most certainly extinguished.

I think this last part is what hits me the hardest. Structures can be rebuilt, prayers can be said anyplace, but the fact that there were people who took the care to come in and light those candles hits home how even though this is a landmark, it is also an important part of the community for all these people.

 

[asta]

Don’t get me wrong, I think it should and will be rebuilt. But I do think it is very sad that future visitors will be looking at things as new structures vs something that existed for hundreds of years. I am grateful for the artwork that had been removed before the fire, the survival of those glorious stained glass windows and the miracle of altar candles that survived the fire.

 

[JaxDad]

What saddens me the most about things like this is how it shows the evil that lives in people. Literally while the building was still on fire I saw comments suggesting arson, hate crimes, and worse. If that's what you see when when tragedy strikes, if evil is what you go looking for, then tragedy is little more than a mirror into your own personality.

Evil?! Wow! I consider it normal to consider ALL possibilities in a tragedy like this. Maybe it’s because I’m an engineer used to identifying all hazards and assigning associated probabilities and risks. I definitely don’t consider those voicing potential arson and terrorism attacks early as evil. I consider them realists. There was an arson attack on Saint-Sulpice this month. A woman was just sentenced on Friday for her botched car bomb attack on Norte Dame in 2016. To dismiss anything with non-zero probability is foolish. Once there is proof of an accident, which I suspect there will be, then they can be dismissed.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

President Macron said he wants to see Notre Dame rebuilt within five years. I share in his optimism but I'm not sure if it's possible as they are still assessing the damage. Several reports are saying 40 years at this point but I feel it will take half of that and billions of dollars. We don't build like that anymore so it will be a massive undertaking along with finding the best stone masons.

 

[sailorstitch]

This is so heartbreaking.

I wore one of my Hunchback of Notre Dame shirts (circa 1996) today. I wanted to watch the movie when I got home from work. But I don't think I ever upgraded to the DVD of HoND and I don't subscribe to any streaming services. So I dusted off my original VHS tape. It still works pretty good.

 

[DisneyOma]

What saddens me the most about things like this is how it shows the evil that lives in people. Literally while the building was still on fire I saw comments suggesting arson, hate crimes, and worse. If that's what you see when when tragedy strikes, if evil is what you go looking for, then tragedy is little more than a mirror into your own personality.

Oh my goodness, what a stretch! Because one thinks that there might be evil in the world (and there is) doesn't mean for a second that people who think this then has "then tragedy is little more than a mirror into your own personality" Oh the melodrama!

Don’t get me wrong, I think it should and will be rebuilt. But I do think it is very sad that future visitors will be looking at things as new structures vs something that existed for hundreds of years. I am grateful for the artwork that had been removed before the fire, the survival of those glorious stained glass windows and the miracle of altar candles that survived the fire.

The spire was not original, parts of the stained glass windows were not original. Some were very modern glass put in to kind of blend. Others were added to let in more light. The only part I think they will have a hard time getting right is the ceiling stones in the nave.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

A few overshot photos. Courtesy of CNN.





It still blows my mind and doesn't seem possible.

 

[JaxDad]

Great pictures! I know I'm am "enginerd" when I look at those and think things like, "Dang! I wish I had that scaffold sub-contract!" Of course if I did, now I would have to clean it up AND try to get more money out of the prime!

 

[cabanafrau]

So incredible to think that the fire was burning overhead and a human chain actually managed to save much of the artwork and icons. Incredible bravery. At least it is a blessing no one was hurt or killed.

 

[twinklebug]

Disney has pledged $5 million (US) to the restoration work of Notre Dame.
All together, over $700M (US) have been pledged from around the globe.

Disney Parks Blog - Supporting Notre Dame Cathedral 4/17/19

 

[JaxDad]

Another way to view the damage...
https://gigarama.ru/notredame/

ETA: Look for the seagulls...

 

[twinklebug]

Another way to view the damage...
https://gigarama.ru/notredame/

Wow. Thank you for the link. That restoration effort will be massive.

Even with the damage, the area is still beautiful.

 

[sailorstitch]

Another way to view the damage...
https://gigarama.ru/notredame/

ETA: Look for the seagulls...

Moving that picture around is all kinds of trippy!