On Tuesday, April 16, the Notre Dame Cathedral caught on fire, starting at 18:43 (6:43 pm) local time. The tragedy was accidental and took everyone by surprise. It took 400 firefighters 15 hours to put out the fire.

The cathedral was damaged, but the main structure (including the two bell towers) and a large part of the interior were saved.

Why did this affect people so much?

The cathedral lasted for so long. The Notre Dame Cathedral was built in the 1200s and survived WWI and WWII largely unscathed. The building, known in French as the “Notre-Dame de Paris,” has become an iconic symbol of France within that Parisian skyline. An onlooker stated, “It is impossible to overstate how shocking it is to watch such an enduring embodiment of our country burn.”

Plan to rebuild

An early estimate cost for rebuilding the Notre Dame ranges into the billions of euros.

• Roof – two-thirds of the Notre Dame roof have been destroyed (including a 100m section).
• Spire – the spire is completely destroyed, having collapsed in the early stages of the blaze.
• Stained glass windows – A 62-foot window appears to have been severely damaged, although the three world-renown rose windows appear to be mostly secure.
• Organ – the 8000-pipe organ is one of the largest in the world. The instrument has not been intensely damaged by the flames, and any source of destruction within it appears to come from dust and water damage.
• Stonework – architects say the stonework is likely to be weakened by the fire. Extreme heat can turn stone into dust through a process called calcination.
• Firefighting damage – pouring cold water on hot stone causes it to crack and weaken, thereby creating potential for the structure of the cathedral to collapse.
• Artwork and priceless relics – Firefighters were seen ushering artwork out of the cathedral. Christ’s crown of thorns and many other religious treasures which were stored at the edifice are confirmed to be safe, but the cost of repairing damaged paintings, statues, and other pieces of art may run into the millions of euros.