4/22/19
By Anna Hansen
On Monday the 15th a big smoke covered the city of Paris. The smoke came from the 850-year old church in the heart of Paris – Notre Dame. The cause of the fire has not yet been decided, but it is believed to have been an accident. Construction work was being made on the church when the fire started on Monday night. The fire was not put out until the day after.
While the main structures have been saved, much of the wood made rooftop and spires were destroyed. Many century-old artifacts, relics, and art were kept in the church. Much was destroyed in the fire, but luckily they were able to save some of it, among that “The Crown of Thorns” and the iconic bell towers, used in the famous story by Victor Hugo, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” It has now been taken to the Louvre Museum for safekeeping.
What is gonna happen now? Many billions have already donated from wealthy Parisians who want it rebuild. The French President Macron has said he wants it rebuilt within the next 5 years. Experts are having many concerns about the rebuilding estimating it might take between 10-15 years. Another problem is that the ancient beechwood used for the rooftop is no longer to be found in France of that size. There are still structural risks with the building, and further investigations will have to be made before making any decisions.
The fire has affected many people from all around the world, not only in Paris. The building who was filled with so much history was an icon for a lot of people, including our own Mrs. Harris from Farmington High School. Harris who has visited the cathedral not only once, but twice says it is a terrible loss and hope that by rebuilding it they will keep its memory strong. “People that are not even aware of it knows this a big deal, it will have a huge impact on the Parisians.”
Hopefully, this beautiful building will be rebuilt in all its beauty and pride, and continue to fill the streets of Paris with history and wonder for many centuries in the future.
Sources
Vandoorne, Saskya. “What We Know about the Notre Dame Fire so Far.” CNN, Cable News Network, 16 Apr. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/04/16/europe/notre-dame-explainer-scli-intl/index.html.