The famous Notre Dame Cathedral, home of Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit, went up in flames on Monday. Residents and tourists watched in horror as their beloved and treasured monument burned.
Several Lipscomb students, especially those who studied abroad in past years, have expressed their sorrow on social media. Veronika Jones, a junior who studied abroad in Florence in spring of 2018 saw the cathedral when she was abroad.
“It was clear how proud the people of Paris were of the beauty and the history of the city,” Jones said. “I can’t even begin to imagine how this loss is impacting them.”
Jones noted how busy the cathedral was, and how everyone visiting was in awe of the building.
“I wish I could’ve gone inside while I was there,” she said. “I am happy I at least got to see it though.”
Brianna Burch, who is also a junior, studied abroad in London in Fall of 2018. Burch is studying French at Lipscomb, and she said visiting the historic and sacred monument was awe-inspiring and humbling.
“I didn’t know any French before coming to Lipscomb, but since then I’ve embraced French culture on a personal level,” Burch said. “So this tragedy was devastating to see. “Mon cœur se brise—my heart breaks for Paris.”
The fire reported to have started in the scaffolding surrounding the spire. The cathedral had been undergoing renovations recently, particularly around the spire in general.
The fire quickly got out of control, and soon after the roof and iconic spire collapsed. The inner woodwork of Notre Dame also suffered and will most likely not be recovered.
Fortunately, the overall structure and framing was able to be salvaged, and the priceless statues inside had already been removed due to the renovations that were being done to the cathedral a few days prior. Many other artifacts were also salvaged as well, including the centuries-old crown of thorns, as well as the tunic worn by 13th century King of France Saint Louis.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he will be launching an international fundraising campaign in order to rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral. He announced that it was a “terrible tragedy,” but also noted that the “worst had been avoided,” referring to the two main towers and the facade that did not collapse.
The cathedral, dating back to the 10th century, is the most visited tourist attraction in all of Paris, seeing over 12 million visitors each year. It is iconic for its Gothic architecture, which took around three centuries to complete. The spire was completed in the 19th century during a restoration effort after Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1831.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, although it is suspected that the fire was accidental, possibly caused by the renovations occurring. An official investigation of the cause of the fire has officially been opened by the local prosecutor’s office.