Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris burning

[HereBeforeCoachK]

heart sick over this...one of the world's treasures....

[aimo]

ndame.jpg

[Ggallagher]

This was a horrible tragedy, but I did have to scratch my head and smile about a comment in an article yesterday. It was describing the beginning of what is going to be the lengthy debate about how a rebuild should be done.

An argument was being made that rather then rebuilding the roof using large timbers as was originally done (which would be enormously challenging since France has no trees standing similar to those that burned) they should use modern roofing practices so the roof structure could have a longer life.

I'm not sure what modern practices we have available that a builder might provide an 850+ year guarantee for. Seems like the original roof structure actually lasted pretty well.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I'm not sure what modern practices we have available that a builder might provide an 850+ year guarantee for. Seems like the original roof structure actually lasted pretty well.

No reason to try and get another 850 on this rebuild. I'll be happy if they can rebuild at all to anything like it's former splendor.

[Reddevil]

No reason to try and get another 850 on this rebuild. I'll be happy if they can rebuild at all to anything like it's former splendor.

It seems reasonable to rebuild using modern, lighter, stronger, and less flammable materials. Surely they can create gothic arches out of steel and a spire that resembles the original that is also lighter that will holdup for centuries. It will never be the same no matter what they do, so what is lost aesthetically can be improved upon with safety and perhaps technology (to include HVAC, electrical, lighting, etc.) I have not heard anything about that magnificent pipe organ. Is it even possible to replace that if it was lost?

[killerleft]

It seems reasonable to rebuild using modern, lighter, stronger, and less flammable materials. Surely they can create gothic arches out of steel and a spire that resembles the original that is also lighter that will holdup for centuries. It will never be the same no matter what they do, so what is lost aesthetically can be improved upon with safety and perhaps technology (to include HVAC, electrical, lighting, etc.) I have not heard anything about that magnificent pipe organ. Is it even possible to replace that if it was lost?

The day after the fire, there was hope that the organs had survived intact. Everything they could see was good.

[Reddevil]

The day after the fire, there was hope that the organs had survived intact. Everything they could see was good.

I hope so. Side note: The first time I saw Notre Dame I took a tour with some army buddies. One of our guys stepped over the rope and played the opening of "The Phantom of the Opera" on the pipe organ. Of course services are going on at the same time as tours. A row of nuns stood in unison and started marching down the aisle towards us. The organ itself was/is near an entrance. We walked out on our own before anything more embarrassing took place. I have never been more intimidated by "bouncers" in my life. I am not proud of this, but I thought about it on subsequent trips and of course during this tragedy.

It does sound like they will be able to restore the place. I have been encouraged by reports that there are actually a good number of people that specialize in the restoration of churches, castles, etc. in
Europe. Makes sense.

[Reilly]

Free concert this Friday in D.C. to benefit Notre Dame: https://www.nationalshrine.org/event...nefit-concert/

"The program will feature Johann Vexo, organist at Notre-Dame de Paris, and the Choir of the Basilica. Johann Vexo was playing at Notre-Dame when the fire started on April 15th and was the last musician to have performed there."

[LegoBatman]

I came across this article in the Atlantic the other day (via Engadget): The Images That Could Help Rebuild Notre-Dame Cathedral

It's about an art professor/architectural historian at Vassar who took highly detailed laser scans of Notre Dame back in 2010.