Notre-Dame Cathedral

[Loutwo]

I have wanted to visit this beautiful cathedral for years, been to Paris a few times and never felt like joining the long queues. How I wish I had now. It appears we are witnessing some iconic history going up in smoke before our eyes. It makes me so incredibly sad to see this. I hope they can save as much as possible.

Louisa.

[NewWave]

I'm so glad that someone has posted on this...its so so shocking and heartbreaking.

the stained glass!the art! the relics the building itself.

such an incredible loss to France and the world.

I'm praying they manage to save things.

[Peckhampam]

It looks like a lot has been saved and it can be reconstructed, although it will take years.

[IlonaM]

Very shocking to see the photos and footage. Beautiful cathedral.

Papers reporting that Macron has pledged to restore the cathedral and a French billionaire has pledged E100 million towards the restoration.

Hopefully it will be like the Basilica at Assisi after the earthquake in 1997 and it will be restored to its former glory.

[DulwichFox]

The Cathedral was going through renovation work.

200 years to build, it has stood for 800 years

Very sad.

DulwichFox

[Siduhe]

It's incredibly sad but also positive that so much of the structure has been saved and there will be a renewed focus on proper restoration (the current restoration works having been held up for years).

The damage doesn't sound much worse than happened following the York Minster fire in the 80s (but on a bigger footprint) and the restoration there has been incredible. Sure the same will happen in Paris now.

[DulwichFox]

From various News programs it was stated that the original Timber roof used 1,200 mature Oak trees.

The timbers are hidden and it is likely a replacement roof would be a steel construction complying

with modern building regulations.

Hopefully not another 1,200 trees.

DulwichFox

[Spartacus]

I would hate to see the insurance payout on this , assuming that they could get it insured in the first place that is

[DulwichFox]

The Catholic Church could foot the bill a hundred times over.

[Loutwo]

Donations have been made from around the world. But I agree, it wouldn?t hurt the Catholic Chruch to contribute. They?re hardly cash strapped.

Louisa.

[JohnL]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> From various News programs it was stated that the

> original Timber roof used 1,200 mature Oak trees.

>

> The timbers are hidden and it is likely a

> replacement roof would be a steel construction

> complying

> with modern building regulations.

>

> Hopefully not another 1,200 trees.

>

> DulwichFox

York Minster can be a template on a smaller scale I guess

They appear to have used timber.

https://news.sky.com/story/york-minster-shows-how-cathedrals-can-be-restored-after-fires-11695738

[DulwichFox]

Using timber, Mature Oak Trees from French Forests has been suggested.

No consideration then for any effect on climate change due to the possibility of losing 1,200 mature Oak Trees.

[edcam]

I saw a great thing online about how, when they replaced the timber in the cathedral 160 years ago, they planted enough oak trees at Versailles replace those trees and to be able to do it again the next time it was needed. Whether these will be mature enough yet I don't know but amazing forethought in supposedly less enlightened times.

[DulwichFox]

Oak natural history and ancient wisdom:

Oak trees can live up to 1000 years old but are generally mature at 75, and live on average 150-250 years.

[diable rouge]

edcam Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I saw a great thing online about how, when they

> replaced the timber in the cathedral 160 years

> ago, they planted enough oak trees at Versailles

> replace those trees and to be able to do it again

> the next time it was needed. Whether these will

> be mature enough yet I don't know but amazing

> forethought in supposedly less enlightened times.

Alas, this doesn't appear to be true...

[JohnL]

edcam Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I saw a great thing online about how, when they

> replaced the timber in the cathedral 160 years

> ago, they planted enough oak trees at Versailles

> replace those trees and to be able to do it again

> the next time it was needed. Whether these will

> be mature enough yet I don't know but amazing

> forethought in supposedly less enlightened times.

Not sure if the text is true or false - but every photo on those tweets seems fake (they're Norwegian pines etc) .

Even if true would Versailles give up those trees :)

[JohnL]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Oak natural history and ancient wisdom:

> Oak trees can live up to 1000 years old but are

> generally mature at 75, and live on average

> 150-250 years.

Strangely my sisters and I planted some horse chestnut saplings back in 1977 back in Gower to celebrate the silver jubilee and they still look like young trees (no where near fully grown)

[edcam]

JohnL - you're really depressing when it comes to trees ;-)

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

St John's bell has been ringing for about five minutes; all part of a solidarity with Notre Dame thingy.

[natty01295]

BEFORE And AFTER

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/mjs538/before-and-after-pictures-that-show-how-bad-the-notre

[Chick]

From my niece who works in a hospital in Africa:

?

?If two men in a world of more than 7 billion people can provide ?300million to restore Notre Dame, within six hours, then there is enough money in the world to feed every mouth, shelter every family and educate every child. The failure to do so is a matter of will, and a matter of system.

The failure to do so comes from our failure to recognise the mundane emergencies that claims lives all around us every single day. Works of art and architectural history and beauty rely on the ingenuity of people, and it is people who must be protected above all else.

Brick and mortar and stained-glass might burn, but they do not bleed, and they do not starve, and they do not suffer. Humans suffer. Everywhere in the world, from Paris to Persepolis, people are suffering. But their suffering is every day. It does not light up a front page, and it does not inspire immediate donations from the world's wealthiest men.?

[natty01295]

YES,

I like your comments

Chick Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> From my niece who works in a hospital in Africa:

> ?

>

> ?If two men in a world of more than 7 billion

> people can provide ?300million to restore Notre

> Dame, within six hours, then there is enough money

> in the world to feed every mouth, shelter every

> family and educate every child. The failure to do

> so is a matter of will, and a matter of system.

>

> The failure to do so comes from our failure to

> recognise the mundane emergencies that claims

> lives all around us every single day. Works of art

> and architectural history and beauty rely on the

> ingenuity of people, and it is people who must be

> protected above all else.

>

> Brick and mortar and stained-glass might burn, but

> they do not bleed, and they do not starve, and

> they do not suffer. Humans suffer. Everywhere in

> the world, from Paris to Persepolis, people are

> suffering. But their suffering is every day. It

> does not light up a front page, and it does not

> inspire immediate donations from the world's

> wealthiest men.?