The answer is very obvious: because we humans make the place like this.
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Pretty terrible, though I am sure it will be rebuilt beautifully.
We visited Notre Dame with our daughter when she was 4. We were quests of the Jerome Lejuene Foundation in Paris. Jerome Lejuene was a famous genetic scientist who discovered how our genetics are formed in conception and discovered the genetic trisomy for Down syndrome. Jerome was a personal friend of the Pope John Paul 2, and his funeral was held in Notre Dame after he died on Good Friday. His window lives around the corner in a house that pre-dates the colonisation of America. We had lunch with her and then saw the crowns of Christ at Notre Dame, quite an experience.
Sadly, his discovery has been since been used for evil against the Down syndrome community, but we always saw the beauty and grace that Notre Dame represents in the human world and reminds of us of hope in the face of darkness and the light and beauty of our own daughter and all the good that she brings to the world.
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Very true ā¦
Indeed, Iām sure it can be āredevelopedā - I canāt see why a new wing shouldnāt be added, sponsored by Amazon - and, as for those towers, well, they donāt need two that look exactly the same, do they?
If they pull down the South tower, thereās enough space for a new expressway thereā¦
Just jokināā¦ itās the word āredevelopedā that I object to. Windsor Castle isnāt Notre Dame - they do have organs there, but not the same kind.
I can only imagine the lower ground section of the building must have been fairly well sealed [ Fire-doors? ] so if there was no draught to feed the fire then not enough oxygen to support burning.
It will be very lucky if no one was trapped inside and suffered death from asphyxiation.
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This might interest some of the members of the forum.
From the Guardian:
His colleague, Dr Jez Wells, from the University of Yorkās Department of Music, said: āI remember when first working as a recording engineer, capturing chant in Notre Dame Cathedral and noting its incredible reverberation. The buildingās reverberation, its own response to sounds made within it, is so strong and rich that it really seemed as if the ghosts of its past were coming out of the walls and singing along.
āIt was a light bulb moment in my appreciation and grasp of sound and recording. The fire damage to the roof of the building means that it can no longer make those same responses to sound that it has been making for over 800 years, which is tragic indeed.
āSound reverberation could be considered a niche topic, but when you listen to the sounds that Notre Dame makes, you realise the power in its audible rendition of space, geometry, fabric and time.
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I notice in todayās press that France will be the recipient of significant financial contributions from the international community. I just hope we contribute the same amount towards the Notre Dame rebuild as France tipped up towards the repairs to Windsor Castle.
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Have never been to France ( maybe someday i will ) and i feel sad for the people of the city and for France who have had a great loss thrust upon them by this fire.
Over 800 years old now - the Notre dame ( like many of the worlds marvels ) - will never die because IMO its has transcended physicality and is residing in the minds and hearts of the people of Paris and the world over who love it.
Yes - it will be repaired and it will be rebuilt and maybe to have an even grander structure and maybe with better fire defense systems to protect it against sudden fires that may happen due to heat etcā¦ ( climate change ??? )
As a music lover i hope the authorities take into account the acoustics of the structure and dont tamper with it and make it hifi
The natural musicality must be retained by an acoustics engineer who is respectful of these things.
I hope you know what i am trying to say
The Universe is kind as there was no loss of life.
I think France can stand on its own feet as far as the money goes - maybe other UK & countries can chip in with expertise.
PS :-
Maybe GiK will be looking forward to installing some huge panels there !!
If someone from GiK is reading this - am just kidding - trying to inject a degree of humor into a sad day.
Iām English, but the Tower of London is of no symbolic or other importance to me. They could knock it down and build a mega Lidl store for all I care.
The media over emphasise the public reaction to such events. A few thousand people might have turned out on the streets of Paris last night. But hundreds of thousands stayed at home watching the French equivalent of Coronation Street. Cāest la vie.
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I hope the above opinion is in the minority. Isis were intent on destroying all historical areas, buildings in order to hurt their enemies. Historical buildings usually contain fascinating living record of the world then when the buildings were created. I would destroy all moronic sitcoms in existence just to save one historic building anywhere in the world.
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i am not sure that the London Tower is as symbolic in England as the Notre Dame in France. Perhaps Big Ben, but itās not religious.
However i donāt agree that media over emphasizes the importance of the drama here, because Notre Dame has 800 years of history, is the most important cathedral in France, and is the symbol of Paris, more than the Eiffel Tower.
I donāt care about Big Ben, if the price was right, weād sell it.
Just like we sold London Bridge and Stonehenge to Americans.
Stonehenge? I thought a Brit bought it and donated it to the nation.
FR, I would think that the English (British if you like) equivalent to your lady is St Paulās cathedral. I was wondering last night, whilst watching the disaster unfold, how we ( the British) would be feeling if it was St Paulās burning.
Of course Notre Dame will be rebuilt. Macron has already decreed this and it is owned by the French nation not the church.Huge private donations are pouring in too apparently.
Nevertheless, like York cathedral 34 or so years ago after its fire, rebuilding will not of course, however well executed, replace the original timber work of the structure. The medieval shaping, cutting, jointing and pinning will inevitably be replaced with modern bolted connections. Yes, it will of course look impressive ā¦eventually. But sadly a pastiche of its former glory imho.
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I did see that the organ wasnāt damaged. Mind you I can see it being dismantled and cleaned. Olivier Latry wonāt be playing there for a while.
Fatcat,ā¦It seems that you do not care about history,.what our ancestors fought for and bequeathed to us.
Personally,ā¦I put a greater value in visiting Notre Dame than a newly built Lidl,ā¦But we are all different.
/Pederš¤
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i am sad for your soul Fatcat!
cathedral of Reims was rebuilt too, but the roof foundation are made of beton now. ( if beton is the correct word).
Beton is concreteā¦I rest my case 