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An Important peace of History Lost. Notre Dame de Paris

markelman1125markelman1125 Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited April 15, 2019 1:57PM in U.S. Coin Forum

I am deeply saddened by the loss of an icon, The Notre Dame Cathedral. The structure is filled with 900 years of Architectural, political, and religious history. It has survived years of wars and revolutions. It saddens me that a modern day fire could not be put out with a modern fire department.
This Cathedral was one of my most favorite architectural structures in Europe. I even build a scale model. It’s sad I never had a chance to visit the Cathedral.😭




Comments

  • PocketArtPocketArt Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Unfortunate indeed, and appears the loss was due to negligence with the current renovation that is underway? Yes, interesting that it has withstood countless wars, revolutions, and other occurrences...yet, set ablaze by dimwitted care.

  • HemisphericalHemispherical Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 15, 2019 3:50PM

    Latest news is that all the artifacts, paintings, etc., were evacuated. Posted this on the other thread.

    Update:

    Looks like they updated the article and now saying, “A deputy mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Gregoire, said the cathedral had suffered "colossal damages." But officials said emergency services managed to salvage some of the art and other priceless pieces stored in the cathedral. ”

    The initial chaos. The news is jumbled and contradicting.

  • lkeneficlkenefic Posts: 8,160 ✭✭✭✭✭

    They're already talking about rebuilding. ...

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  • Mdcoincollector2003Mdcoincollector2003 Posts: 665 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The fire has been stopped the two towers have been saved the roofing system built in the 1100s has been completely destroyed.

  • SaorAlbaSaorAlba Posts: 7,541 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have been in the Cathedral twice, as recently as 2000. I have climbed the well trodden medieval steps to the tops of the towers to view the gargoyles watching out over Paris. It is just one of those magnificent places in the world, it's near destruction is heart breaking. On a numismatic note, when I was there in 2000 you could buy a medal with Notre Dame on it and have your name and date engraved on it for something like 50 FF, I got a couple of them.

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  • mustangmanbobmustangmanbob Posts: 1,890 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I spent a lot of time in France, been to Notre Dam multiple times, and have confidence in the rebuilding.

    When I was in Normandy, walked Omaha and Utah beach, visited Pointe du Hoc (Where the Army Rangers scaled the cliffs at great loss of life (I was a Ranger, so it was very humbling to walk that ground)), etc.

    However, in every town, when I visited the churches, many were 500+ years or more, what was noticeable was a change in the color of the stone work about 6 - 8 feed up. That was because every church that had any sort of steeple was either destroyed by the Germans or the Allies as they were key observation posts. Whichever side did not have the church shelled them to the ground. But they were rebuilt by a country devastated by war, and these were not a national treasure.

    I would put in a vote for La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, as it is less than 200 years old, it would give you an idea of the grandeur of Notre Dame.

  • savitalesavitale Posts: 1,409 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Devastating. It is hard to accept that one of the most modern, populous cities in the world could not contain a fire in one of the nation's greatest treasures.

  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sky of blackness and sorrow (a dream of life)
    Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
    Sky of glory and sadness (a dream of life)
    Sky of mercy, sky of fear (a dream of life)
    Sky of memory and shadow (a dream of life)
    Your burnin' wind fills my arms tonight
    Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
    Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life

    -Springsteen

    It's lost, let it be. Build something new and inspiring in its stead.

    Just make sure it has flying buttresses.

    Tempus fugit.
  • CoinstartledCoinstartled Posts: 10,135 ✭✭✭✭✭

    800 year old wood is tough to extinguish.

  • crazyhounddogcrazyhounddog Posts: 13,970 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I HATE fires. A tear came to my eye over this today.😢

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  • Markelman that model's awesome, that would have to be an amazing place to visit so I agree

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wealthy French citizens have already pledged well over $300 million for restoration.... True, it will not be quite the same, however, consider that the structure was 850 years old, and constructed over centuries - and has had other fires....It will be rebuilt and will continue. Cheers, RickO

  • yspsalesyspsales Posts: 2,319 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 16, 2019 4:54AM

    Amazing it survived revolutions and two world wars. But Paris was never really bombed except by sporadic artillery in ww1.

    Honestly, my first thought was terrorism.

    I had the same pit in my stomach as on 9-11.

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  • HemisphericalHemispherical Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Rueters and AP.

    Paris fire chief Jean-Claude Gallet told reporters Monday evening he believed firefighters had managed to save the cathedral's landmark rectangular towers from the blaze, Reuters said. There was still a risk that some of the interior structures could collapse, he said.

    A Paris deputy mayor, Emmanuel Gregoire, said the cathedral had suffered "colossal damages."
    France's president vowed to rebuild the landmark.

    Parisian authorities said they were ruling out arson and possible terror-related motives as possible causes -- at least at the moment -- and treating the blaze as an accident, according to The Associated Press.

  • maplemanmapleman Posts: 1,052 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @yspsales said:
    Amazing it survived revolutions and two world wars. But Paris was never really bombed except by sporadic artillery in ww1.

    Honestly, my first thought was terrorism.

    I had the same pit in my stomach as on 9-11.

    Agree with all above except bombardment. Franco Prussian war Paris was under continual German artillery fire from the outskirts of the city. I don't recall that the Cathedral was damaged.

  • maplemanmapleman Posts: 1,052 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Visited the Cathedral three times. What a tragedy.

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It appears that the fire destroyed much of the early 19th century renovation - which was done with wood (oak) - including the tower.

    Although most of the stone work survived, careful examination will have to be made of any portions subject to heat. Stonework and fire do not mix well - especially old exposed stone that has absorbed moisture and gas from the atmosphere.

  • Timbuk3Timbuk3 Posts: 11,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've never been there, but it looks like an awesome place to visit. So sad that it happened. Hopefully, it gets rebuilt. My prayers go out to those affected !!! :'(

    Timbuk3
  • Looks like the Paris Mint will reissue Notre Dame pieces, and the proceeds will go towards the reconstruction:

    https://www.monnaiedeparis.fr/fr/search-catalog?query=reconstruction notre-dame

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    https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase/3232

  • SweetpieSweetpie Posts: 476 ✭✭✭✭

    @PCGSPhoto thx for the link.

    Wow! Speechless.

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