Notre-Dame: Fire under control, structure and large number of artworks saved

PARIS, (Patria) – After hours of battling the massive flames that engulfed the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday evening, firefighters managed to bring the fire under control early Tuesday morning, agencies report.

The head of the French fire brigade, Jean-Claude Gallet, told numerous reporters at the scene that one spire weighing 750 tons and the cathedral's roof had collapsed, but that the main structure, as well as the two towers, had been preserved.

Gallet explained that the firefighting operation was concentrated on the rear part of the cathedral where the most valuable works were kept. During the operation, one firefighter was seriously injured.

It is assumed that the fire started in the bell tower, where a major renovation project was underway.

The cause of the fire is unknown, and an official investigation has been opened to determine the cause.

The first fire alarm sounded around 18:30. An hour later, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, confirmed via Twitter that it was a 'terrible fire' and that firefighters were already in action. She also urged everyone to follow safety instructions.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who had planned a press conference on Monday evening on the topic of the yellow vests, cancelled it due to the emergency.

In his address to the citizens of Paris, among other things, he announced a campaign to rebuild the cathedral, saying that the French people should be proud 'because we built this cathedral 800 years ago, and we have improved it over the centuries. I solemnly declare: we will rebuild it together,' Macron announced.

The newly elected president of the French Bishops' Conference, Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, stated that the reconstruction could take years.

One of the wealthiest French families, Pinault, has already donated 100 million Euros for Notre-Dame, and the French cultural heritage organization Fondation du Patrimoine has announced a nationwide fundraising campaign for the reconstruction.

The most visited site in Europe

Notre-Dame de Paris, translated from French as 'Our Lady of Paris', is a medieval Catholic cathedral considered one of the most valuable examples of French Gothic architecture.

In 2013, the cathedral celebrated 850 years of existence.

Construction of the cathedral began in 1160 under Bishop Maurice de Sully. Although the main works were completed in 1260, it was added to and modified over the following centuries.

The original spire of Notre-Dame was built in the 13th century, but was redesigned and rebuilt in the 19th century by the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. The new version, which is now destroyed, was made of oak covered with lead.

The spire was surrounded by 16 bronze statues of the apostles, which had recently been temporarily removed due to renovations and are believed to be safe.

The Notre-Dame Cathedral, where, among other things, Napoleon was crowned, was built over more than a century. It had suffered damage before, but never on this scale.

In the mid-16th century, Huguenots destroyed sculptures they considered idolatrous.

Many of the cathedral's valuables and treasures were either stolen or destroyed during the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century, and during World War II, during the liberation of Paris, stray bullets from firearms shattered the medieval glass in the cathedral's windows.

Notre-Dame Cathedral is one of the most significant religious and cultural monuments in Paris, visited by around 12 million tourists each year.