In Paris, the morning of Monday, Apr. 15, 2019 marked a day of extreme loss and sorrow for the city and its residents. Around 6:50 p.m. Central European Summer Time, the blaze started under the roof of the Notre Dame cathedral and burned for over 12 hours. During the burn, the entire central roof, and iconic spire made from centuries-old wood, collapsed. Although the direct cause of the fire has not been confirmed, it is thought to be linked with the 6 million Euro renovation that was in progress at the time of the fire.
The Notre-Dame Cathedral is an iconic Parisian landmark that has stood for over 800 years and has become a part of central Paris. Constructed in 1163 and finished in 1345, the Cathedral became a symbol of Christianity and held many important relics such as the Crown of Thorns that was believed to have been worn by Jesus during his crucifixion.
“I think it is just kind of a part of a lot of Parisians idea of what Paris is,” history teacher Mrs. Naylor said when asked about the importance of Notre Dame.
During the destructive fire, the central roof of the cathedral that included the iconic spire was quickly engulfed in flames and later collapsed. Despite the amount of wooden support structure that was lost, none of the stonework or support was damaged. Although there was a moderate amount of structure damage, many of the prized pieces of artwork and relics, including the crown of thorns, were able to be saved and were not disfigured by the flames.
Among the flames and the billowing clouds of smoke, tourists and native Parisians gathered along the Seine river to watch as the Cathedral burned. With overwhelming emotion, many people began to weep as they watched a symbol of Paris slowly burn while others began to sing Ave Maria.
Once fire crews had extinguished the flames, Parisians quickly began efforts to rebuild Notre Dame by creating Go-Fund-Me pages and some of France’s billionaires have pledged millions in order to help efforts for rebuilding. French President Emmanuel Macron has promised the people of France that the Cathedral will be rebuilt. The restoration project could take more than 20 years to complete, this is partially due to the fact that France no longer has large enough oak trees to rebuild the support beams.
Although many Parisians and tourists felt feelings of deep pain from the effects the fire had on the cathedral, many are certain that the cathedral will be restored to its original glory and will shine in the heart of Paris again.