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Notre Dame [message #675734] Mon, 15 April 2019 14:40 Go to next message
John Watson
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I've just been watching awful film of the fire. I love Paris, wish I could get there more often (its been years...) and losing that cathedral is terrible. Commiserations to all the French people on this forum.
Re: Notre Dame [message #675735 is a reply to message #675734] Mon, 15 April 2019 15:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michel Cadot
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Our interior minister has just said that he is not sure the cathedral can be saved.
The commander of the fire brigade of Paris says they are trying to prevent the fire from extending to the other parts of the cathedral and to pull out the art objects as much as possible.

Re: Notre Dame [message #676577 is a reply to message #675734] Thu, 20 June 2019 11:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Lalit Kumar B
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Yeah I felt sad to see the news of the old cathedral on fire. It was terrible incident. I have a plan to visit Paris this year, and I wish it gets renovated and comes back to it's original form. I know few parts of the structure are beyond repair, but it's a beautifully architected monument.
Re: Notre Dame [message #676579 is a reply to message #676577] Thu, 20 June 2019 12:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michel Cadot
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Most of the cathedral has been saved but the roof and the spire on it.
The tours, the stained-glass windows, the statues (inside and outside)... have been saved.
For the moment, the cathedral and its place are forbidden as they aren't sure the cathedral is safe: the biggest danger for the cathedral after the fire is the water and the fire brigade use it as much as possible to stop the fire and save the tours. So now, they have to deeply investigate in all the walls to verify the water did not weaken them. It will take months.

Another thing, quite ridiculous imo, is the battle of the president and government to completely restore the cathedral within 5 years (for the Olympic Games) when all the experts say it will take at least a decade (and most likely far more) to do it correctly.

Re: Notre Dame [message #676581 is a reply to message #676579] Thu, 20 June 2019 12:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Lalit Kumar B
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Michel Cadot wrote on Thu, 20 June 2019 22:42


Another thing, quite ridiculous imo, is the battle of the president and government to completely restore the cathedral within 5 years (for the Olympic Games) when all the experts say it will take at least a decade (and most likely far more) to do it correctly.

True, it's a sacred monument and should be restored properly. Government should not hurry in doing so. The whole world feels for it. Experts have said it, it will take time. Olympics on the other hand is an important event, but preparing for that should not be at the cost of the cathedral's repair.

I remember when common wealth games were held in New Delhi, India. They completed the Metro rail project in half of the estimated time for it, and the result was that couple of metro pillars fell down after just few test runs. Then they spent another fortune to rectify their mistakes. In the case of Notre Dam, it needs proper restoration and time to look beautiful again like ever.
Re: Notre Dame [message #676584 is a reply to message #676581] Thu, 20 June 2019 14:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
John Watson
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I don't really agree with the idea of repairing it in the ways being suggested. Such projects always seem to end up as hugely expensive exercises, dedicated to funneling vast amount of public money towards contractors and a few managers at the top.
If it were my choice, I would stabilize it and make it open to the public as it is. A bit like the Gedächtniskirche in Berlin (where I spent many happy hours hanging out with the other hippies, back in the days of the wall). After all, the fire is part of the buildings history.
Re: Notre Dame [message #676586 is a reply to message #676584] Thu, 20 June 2019 15:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michel Cadot
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Many ideas came from all sides during the last weeks and some agree with you, others think it should be rebuilt as it was and others with new artist views as this is also part of the buildings history to evolve (just have a look at the history of Le Louvre in Paris).
The spire that crashes was built by the end of the XIXth century and many think at this time it was a shame with its rooster at the top. Actually, it was the second spire, the first one was removed during the French Revolution (it was a steeple).

As you said, the current step is to stabilize the cathedral, and this will last long.
For the moment, I have no preference of what should be done, I'm waiting for the architect projects to see and get an idea of what this can be.

Re: Notre Dame [message #678831 is a reply to message #676586] Thu, 16 January 2020 14:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Lalit Kumar B
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I have heard in my local news channels that most of the cathedral has been restored. They also stated that some of the structure is irreparable and it will take few more months to restore it for tourists' daily visits. I am planning for a EURO trip this summer, and Notre Dame has always been in my bucket list. Michel, is this news true as I am not sure if it's open for tourists.

[Updated on: Thu, 16 January 2020 14:13]

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Re: Notre Dame [message #678832 is a reply to message #678831] Thu, 16 January 2020 14:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Michel Cadot
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Unfortunately not for a long time.
When Notre-Dame caught fire the spire was being restored and a scaffolding was put on it. This one was wrapped and partially molten. The current status is to know if this scaffolding, in this current state, helps to stabilize the building or not, so they can remove it, a big work as there are 10,000 steel tubes for a total weight of 250 tons. A second scaffolding is currently put on to access the first one!
Restoration of the cathedral itself will not start before 2021.

Re: Notre Dame [message #678833 is a reply to message #678832] Thu, 16 January 2020 14:47 Go to previous message
Lalit Kumar B
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Quote:
Restoration of the cathedral itself will not start before 2021.
Oh, that's really sad to know. I wish the cathedral gets back to it's original shape ASAP. Thanks for the update Michel, I will still visit to see it from outside this year.

[Updated on: Thu, 16 January 2020 14:49]

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