Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, or simply the Notre-Dame in Paris, happens to be one of the most iconic Catholic cathedrals in the world. The medieval Catholic structure has been around since centuries and is a perfect example of the finest French Gothic architecture. Just for an idea of how long this has been around, let me tell you that construction began in the 12 Century A.D.
However, while it has become a great tourist attraction over the years, the year 2019 will be the most forgettable one for this monument. Today, 15th April in particular is a day of sadness for this cathedral and for the people of Paris in general. A huge fire broke out in the Notre-Dame a few hours back, leading to a spire collapsing and the roof coming down.
The fire eventually engulfed the entire upper half of the cathedral and caused the spire to fall through. The scene was horrendous in Ile de la Cite, an island in Paris where the cathedral is located. As fire trucks zoomed to begin the rescue operations, reports suggested that repair and renovation works is what could’ve sparked the fire in the 850-year old Gothic cathedral.
Watch:
I'm absolutely gutted to see #NotreDame cathedral burning, it's over 800 years old. So devastating. This is heartbreaking. This is a sad sad day. pic.twitter.com/2XFkyZemZ7
— Samantha Edwards Psychotherapy (@TherapyCymru) April 15, 2019
France President Emmanuel Macron is said to have cancelled a speech he was supposed to have today due to this tragic incident. He then took to Twitter to express his grief, saying, “Thoughts go out to all Catholics and all French people. Like all our compatriots, I am sad tonight to see this part of us burning.”
“The smoke is blowing over the south side of the city towards the Tour Eiffel. You can’t quite smell the smoke but it’s definitely in the air and the doesn’t seem to be any let-up in it coming from the cathedral. As you can imagine there are a lot of people both tourists and locals who have gathered to watch,” said an eye-witness at the scene.
800-year history disappeared in front of your eye #NotreDame #Paris # pic.twitter.com/fTUErXGwEB
— By A (@SystemByA) April 15, 2019
Until the completion of the world-famous Eiffel Tower in 1889, the Notre-Dame towers were the tallest structures in Paris. However, we have to watch this burn down today. For more updates on the situation in Paris, keep following ReadScoops.com.
