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Has anyone read Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follet? It is about the building of the great cathedrals in the 1100s. Many of them burned hundreds of years ago.
The fact that Notre Dame lasted for 800 years is a gift to all who were able to see it. 800 year old wood is very crispy. Everything comes to an end.
I’m just glad I’m not Mrs. Contractor.
Vincent Dunn, a fire consultant and former New York City fire chief, said that fire hose streams could not reach the top of such a cathedral, and that reaching the top on foot was often an arduous climb over winding steps.
“These cathedrals and houses of worship are built to burn,” he said. “If they weren’t houses of worship, they’d be condemned.”
Has anyone read Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follet? It is about the building of the great cathedrals in the 1100s. Many of them burned hundreds of years ago.
The fact that Notre Dame lasted for 800 years is a gift to all who were able to see it. 800 year old wood is very crispy. Everything comes to an end.
I’m just glad I’m not Mrs. Contractor.
Have not, but I've enjoyed everything I've read from him before, so I will definitely check it out.
Since 1905 all houses of worship in France are state property, so yes it is appropriate for Monsieur le President to arrive. It will be up to the French government to repair/rebuild or whatever decision is made in respect to Notre Dame once fire is extinguished.
But while it's still burning? I don't know.. It just struck me as strange.. Got me wondering what he was doing there.. Almost like a photo op or something and that'd be a pretty horrible photo op.
What's he going to do there while it's still burning? Nothing.
Of course.. Being used to things in the US.. Where if a president showed up at a scene.. Be it a fire or whatever.. Secret Service would obstruct things, perhaps, far more than what the French do.
But while it's still burning? I don't know.. It just struck me as strange.. Got me wondering what he was doing there.. Almost like a photo op or something and that'd be a pretty horrible photo op.
What's he going to do there while it's still burning? Nothing.
Of course.. Being used to things in the US.. Where if a president showed up at a scene.. Be it a fire or whatever.. Secret Service would obstruct things, perhaps, far more than what the French do.
If you don't understand cannot explain.
This isn't some parish church in rural France we're talking about here; but Notre Dame de Paris.
Since Paris is the capital city of France, and it's suburbs (mainly but not exclusively Versailles) are the seat of government again no, it isn't out of place for a president of French republic to show up on the scene flames raging or not. He'd do the same if Versailles, or any other historical or cultural building of importantance to France and French culture were up in flames. No, don't think he'd fire up the presidential jet and zoom down to some church burning in Lyon or some other distant city.
American presidents are different in that one there isn't an official state religion for USA, and to that end no official church. Well suppose you could make a case for the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., but still.
DT is a godless Philistine and wouldn't show up for any house of worship was burning unless it was to get in on ground floor to get at the real estate.
Yeah, no fire codes back in the day, I'm sure the rebuilt Notre Dame Cathedral we have to be built to current French fire code standards.
Like all large (or small for that matter) buildings built before say late 1800's and certainly by the 20th century Notre Dame have wood frames, beams and so forth. Yes in the case of churches and many other large buildings there is plenty of masonry, copper, etc.. but it is all that wood which is flammable and that is the problem.
Here in NYC we lost an historic church last year to fire. Again wood frame and the thing burnt down to just the stone shell.
This isn't some parish church in rural France we're talking about here; but Notre Dame de Paris.
Since Paris is the capital city of France, and it's suburbs (mainly but not exclusively Versailles) are the seat of government again no, it isn't out of place for a president of French republic to show up on the scene flames raging or not. He'd do the same if Versailles, or any other historical or cultural building of importantance to France and French culture were up in flames. No, don't think he'd fire up the presidential jet and zoom down to some church burning in Lyon or some other distant city.
American presidents are different in that one there isn't an official state religion for USA, and to that end no official church. Well suppose you could make a case for the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., but still.
DT is a godless Philistine and wouldn't show up for any house of worship was burning unless it was to get in on ground floor to get at the real estate.
Notre Dame took two centuries to build and stands on the site where the Romans built their first settlement after defeating the Parisii two thousand years ago. It's part of the French identity. If the head of state didn't go to the scene, he'd be roundly criticized.
All the live video I have seen, shows the walls still standing and the fire mostly contained. It's a very aggressive firefighting effort. Firefighters are inside the towers.
There will obviously be major water and other damage; but a full report cannot even begin to be compiled until safe for inspectors to get in and examine things from top to bottom.
Again thankfully Notre Dame de Paris is French government property, so it will have to foot the bill for restoration/repair. The Catholic Church of France, local parish or entire at large likely never could raise the millions if not billion of Euros that will be required.
Indeed all over France for past few years French government has been tearing down churches that have become or nearing derelict status and there isn't funds for restoration.
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