April 15, 2019
The Night Notre-Dame Burned
On 15 April 2019 a catastrophic fire tore through Notre-Dame de Paris, toppling its spire and roof as the world watched in disbelief.
On the evening of 15 April 2019, flames erupted in the roof of Notre-Dame de Paris. Within hours the cathedral's 19th-century spire had collapsed and its ancient timber roof — the 'forest' of medieval oak beams — was gone. Millions watched live, many in tears.
The stone vaults largely held, sparing the interior, and quick-thinking crews rescued relics and artworks. But the toll was devastating, and toxic lead dust spread across central Paris.
Within days, President Macron vowed to rebuild within five years. Donations poured in from around the world, setting the stage for one of the most ambitious restorations of the century.
Image: “Paris, Notre Dame -- 2014 -- 1458-65” — Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.