Notre Dame in Flames

Just had a phone call from my daughter and granddaughter ,not to worry they are safe they are outside at the moment and were posting pics from there this morning , she took the granddaughter there for a surprise birthday present , on the phone to me and screamed down the phone the roof has just collapsed . She’s got some cracking pics though
 
That's really sad. It's a beautiful building...or it was.
 
The daughter has just phoned me back as she makes her way back to the hotel , and said there ar3 thousands of people watching and crying there eyes out
 
It's very sad, all that history, gone.:(
 
It's very sad, all that history
 
A social, historical, architectural and for France a national tragedy to have lost this masterpiece of history.

At the very least it seems some significant parts of the stone structure will survive.......but the loss of the interior and it's contents can never be restored :(

Unlike Windsor, Uppark and Clandon Park to name but a few UK buildings so badly damaged but restored after fire, I wonder if there will be the political & financial will in France to do more than conserve the ruins of Notre Dame???
 
Byker28i said:
I'm sure the Catholic church can afford it?
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Careful now. The cuddly catholics don't react well to suggestions they've got money squirreled away.
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
Careful now. The cuddly catholics don't react well to suggestions they've got money squirreled away.
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And they react even worse to any suggestion that they hand it out.

However, I think it likely that many wealthy people will provide the funds.
 
There seems to have been a spate of deliberate attacks on churches in France but not clear who is behind it. ( https://www.newsweek.com/spate-atta...-sees-altars-desecrated-christ-statue-1370800 )
This fire was no doubt accidental but really shouldn't have happened, any work involving heat near the ancient timbers should have been under utmost scrutiny.
The time it started rather suggests workmen finishing for the day and not noticing something smouldering.
 
Byker28i said:
I'm sure the Catholic church can afford it?
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Im sure there's a worldwide rallying cry amongst pensioners, all getting ready to give up their money for another church roof, or am I being cynical?
 
JRM - wealthy Catholic - will he donate as it's in France?


...I'll get my coat
 
Or the ignorant could look up who actually owns the cathedral.

Ownership

Under a 1905 law, Notre-Dame de Paris is one of 70 churches in Paris built before that year which are owned by the French state. While the building itself is owned by the state, the Catholic Church is the designated beneficiary, having the exclusive right to use it for religious purposes in perpetuity. The archdiocese is responsible for paying the employees, for security, heating and cleaning, and for ensuring that the cathedral is open free to visitors. The archdiocese does not receive subsidies from the French state
 
And yet, according to Time Magazine,

Under France’s strict secular laws, the government owns the cathedral, and the Catholic archdiocese of Paris uses it permanently for free. The priests for years believed the government should pay for repairs, since it owned the building. But under the terms of the government’s agreement, the archdiocese is responsible for Notre Dame’s upkeep, with the Ministry of Culture giving it about €2 million ($2.28 million) a year for that purpose. Staff say that money covers only basic repairs, far short of what is needed. Without a serious injection of cash, some believe, the building will not be safe for visitors in the future. Now the archdiocese is seeking help to save Notre Dame from yielding to the ravages of time.
 
Mr Bump said:
Or the ignorant could look up who actually owns the cathedral.
simon ess said:
And yet, according to Time Magazine,

Under France’s strict secular laws, the government owns the cathedral, and the Catholic archdiocese of Paris uses it permanently for free. The priests for years believed the government should pay for repairs, since it owned the building. But under the terms of the government’s agreement, the archdiocese is responsible for Notre Dame’s upkeep, with the Ministry of Culture giving it about €2 million ($2.28 million) a year for that purpose. Staff say that money covers only basic repairs, far short of what is needed. Without a serious injection of cash, some believe, the building will not be safe for visitors in the future. Now the archdiocese is seeking help to save Notre Dame from yielding to the ravages of time.
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Owned :D
 
An insurance job?
 
It's very sad, but it doesn't appear to be a total loss.

The destruction of grand monuments to human endeavour in the past is nothing new. To cite just a few cases: the destruction of the Temple of Solomon by Nebuchadnezzar and its replacement by Titus; the looting and ruin of Lindisfarne and other monasteries by Norse and Danish raiders; the burning of the magnificent abbeys in the borders by English armies during the long series of wars between Scotland and England during the Middle Ages; the wanton devastation of the English abbeys to assuage the greed of Henry VIII; and the wrecking of the Buddhas of Bamyan by the Taliban and of Palmyra by ISIL in recent times. These were all deliberate acts, but the fire at Notre Dame seems to have been an accident, possibly caused by negligence. The list of other examples goes on and on...

The history associated with these places hasn't been lost, only the tangible reminders.
 
Would they not be prudent enough to have fire insurance?
When my renewal comes up the broker is fond of trying to scare me with imaginary rebuilding costs considerably more than it's worth to sell.
 
I remember when building sites had fire watchers/security on the job, unless of course it was him that dropped the fag end initially, how long after the remedial work starts until the French workforce strikes?
 
When the news of the fire broke last night I thought it was rather a tragic event.
However, since then the media (esp radio) has had endless debate about every minutiae of the building, possible causes, methods of restoration etc. On and on with circuitous discussion all based on supposition. Turn the radio off to avoid it then turn it on later and it is still going on.
Beginning to wish the bloody building had never been built.
 
arclight said:
When the news of the fire broke last night I thought it was rather a tragic event.
However, since then the media (esp radio) has had endless debate about every minutiae of the building, possible causes, methods of restoration etc. On and on with circuitous discussion all based on supposition. Turn the radio off to avoid it then turn it on later and it is still going on.
Beginning to wish the bloody building had never been built.
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Makes a change from Brexit.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
Makes a change from Brexit.
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Indeed it does. The same thing has happened with Brexit over a much longer period. Endless repetitive debate until the majority of folk got pig sick of it.
Radio stations like LBC and Talk radio are the biggest culprits. Numerous different presenters simply repeat the debate what was broadcast prior to it being their turn to be on air.
 
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I'm intrigued to know where they plan on getting all the wood to replace the roof.
 
nilagin said:
I'm intrigued to know where they plan on getting all the wood to replace the roof.
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There's plenty of managed oak woodland in France, and Germany, oak is usually best worked when relatively green so not unrealistic to source timber and have it in place within 2 or 3 years.
Some will be already available perhaps from other old buildings.
 
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