Notre Dame fire
|
Notre Dame seen here before the fire. |
On Monday 15 April 2019, at around 7pm, fire ripped through the iconic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. By 9am the following day, the centuries-old masterpiece of French Gothic architecture had suffered catastrophic damage to its roof and some of its contents, while the 90m-high oak and lead spire over the crossing had collapsed completely – to the horror of stunned onlookers.
A building that had taken nearly 200 years to build had suffered almost irreparable damage in just a matter of hours. Fortunately, the Paris authorities were later to confirm that the structure itself had not been irreversibly damaged.
Thanks in part to the action of the 90 firefighters, the fire did not reach the towers on the front elevation, and generally the building’s walls remain structurally sound. But the timber roof has been completely destroyed, as have some of the religious artefacts. However, a full damage assessment had yet to be undertaken at the time of writing.
Within hours of the fire taking hold, president Macron vowed that the cathedral would be rebuilt within five years (although this timetable has been criticised as being political rather than practical). French businessmen were also quick to pledge more than €300m to a rebuilding fund. Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, also promised that city funds would go toward the rebuilding project, while the Ile-de-France regional government said it would donate a further €10m. An international fund-raising drive is expected to further boost the monies available.
The fire’s origin is as yet uncertain but is thought to be the result of ongoing renovation works. It is clear however, that the fire probably started in the roof space above the stone vaults of the interior, as it would have taken a long time to spread to the roof, and would likely have been noticed sooner, had it have started on the ground.
See also: Notre Dame, a conservation perspective.
[edit] Notre Dame – a brief history
Building work on the cathedral began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII but it was not until 1345 that construction was completed. Since then, the cathedral has seen numerous high-profile ceremonies, such as crowning Henry VI king of France, Napoleon Bonaparte’s coronation in 1804, and the beatification of Joan of Arc in 1919.
Perhaps more famously, the cathedral was the setting for Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’.
This story will be updated as events unfold.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
IHBC NewsBlog
Church architecture awards 2024: now open
The National Churches Trust has announced three awards, all of which are run in partnership with the Ecclesiastical Architects & Surveyors Association (EASA).
The essential sector guide includes officers' updates and a foreword by EH Chair Gerard Lemos.
Historic England opens nominations for the National Blue Plaque Scheme
The scheme is open to nominations to celebrate people from all walks of life.
Striking photos show nature reclaiming brutalist concrete
‘Brutalist Plants’ explores nature’s links to the architectural style characterised by imposing form and exposed concrete.
Purcell’s guidance on RAAC for Listed Buildings in England & Wales
The guidance specifically focuses on Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in listed buildings.
IHBC Membership Journal Context - Latest Issue on 'Hadrian's Wall' Published
The issue includes takes on the wall 'end-to-end' including 'the man who saved it'.
Heritage Building Retrofit Toolkit developed by City of London and Purcell
The toolkit is designed to provide clear and actionable guidance for owners, occupiers and caretakers of historic and listed buildings.
70 countries sign Declaration de Chaillot at Buildings & Climate Global Forum
The declaration is a foundational document enabling progress towards a ‘rapid, fair, and effective transition of the buildings sector’
Bookings open for IHBC Annual School 12-15 June 2024
Theme: Place and Building Care - Finance, Policy and People in Conservation Practice
Rare Sliding Canal Bridge in the UK gets a Major Update
A moveable rail bridge over the Stainforth and Keadby Canal in the Midlands in England has been completely overhauled.