Flames have ripped through the historic Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris, causing the roof to collapse and dark plumes of smoke to drift into the French capital.
Firefighters are actively working to extinguish the blaze, which broke out at the nearly 900-year-old cathedral on Tuesday morning (Australian time).
The medieval church’s spire, which is 90 meters high and weighs 250 tonnes, made of lead, was dramatically brought down, drawing gasps and moans of disbelief from onlookers.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2019/04/16/notre-dame-cathedral-fire/
I have been in that cathedral, once to look at the architecture and the rose window, another time to enjoy the organ recital then leave before the late Mass began. Sad that that is gone.
I have also been to Chartres Cathedral. Magic afternoon: with a yank I had met in Paris we took the train to Chartres then walked through narrow curved Medieval streets to the Cathedral. Nothing much to look at outside especially with one spire surrounded by scaffolding so inside. Oh my, the organist must have been practising the music for the next Sunday and was playing, I am sure, a piece by Monteverdi. In the empty church you could sense the sound travelling the length of the church then bouncing off the back wall and back again. Then we turned and, oh my god! The late afternoon winter sun was hitting the enormous rose window practically horizontally, beautiful, intricate stained glasswork.
Do yourselves a favor and do some Google image searches on those Cathedrals.
