Notre Dame

It has been through much during its long life, from neglect to point of utter decay, to the attack on its statutory by supporters of the French revolution, but nothing compares to this.

But if the will is there it will be rebuilt..
Think of buildings badly burnt just in our life time.
Windsor Castle, Hampton Court and York Minster to name just three. All have survived with their essence in tact.

Shocking, I remember the beautiful rose window and don't know if it survived. Iconic buildings are so important to our lives.

I remember taking an elderly American to Winchester cathedral last year, he looked up and just stood in awe. We are so lucky in Europe with our many cathedrals. Long live Notre Dame .

I first visited it when I was 12. I was in tears watching the news last night.

This is indeed tragic - not only beautiful but iconic and a building so full of history and centuries of memories.

It has been vandalised before, left to get in such poor condition that it was nearly torn down at one point - let us hope it will rise again from the ashes.

Visited it once about 20 years ago. Such a beautiful iconic building full of history. I will never forget the sense of peace and serenity I felt once inside. My thoughts are with the people of Paris tonight.

Tragic - I have been there many times - such a beautiful restful place.

It won’t have the same sense of history

The only people talking about it being terrorist related were a bunch of right wing extremists out to cause trouble as usual - pity it crept onto here as well

I have a honeymoon picture taken outside Notre Dame. It is a beautiful building, a stunning landmark.

It's tragic. Restoration work is all well and good but the history of the place, the ghosts of the building, the tales it contained over the centuries, cannot be restored in new materials. So sad.

Restorations were in progress. This seems to make buildings more vulnerable.
Very sad indeed.

So awful especially to see the spire collapse. Really heartbreaking, how sad for Paris, it's been there for 800 years. A great loss

Oooh Grannyknot..made me weep.

Hope...also Urmstongran that it wasn't!! 20+ years of holidaying with our children in a country that I love dearly...really sad...feel so sad...all that beautiful stained glass..history......OMG

That's so moving Grannyknot

Very moving Grannyknot

Moving video of Parisians singing in the street in solidarity:

twitter.com/Inaki_Gil/status/1117868382785802242?s=20

Via Twitter, I hope it works.

This is awful. Can't believe how quickly the fire took hold.
Just hope everyone inside got out.
I visited Notre Dame as a pupil on a school trip and I still remember it vividly these many years later.
A tragedy for Parisians and France as a whole, and in Holy Week too.

It was sickening to watch it burning. A tragedy.
Reminds me of when York Minster was struck by lightning several years ago. This looks so much worse, though.

So sad. Its such an iconic building.

Incredibly sad ..

I was so shocked to see this - the speed the fire appears to have spread. I know they can do remarkable restoration work now, but looking at the photographs you have to wonder at the scale of the damage. My heart goes out to the French people.

Awful, such a beautiful church.
The news said there were renovations being carried out, it’s often the cause of fires, think Windsor Castle and also the Glasgow school of art, all had renovations current at the time.

What a shame ?

In Holy Week as well. Hope it’s not terrorist related.

The poor craftsmen working there