The steeple of the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral collapses as the cathedral is engulfed in flames in central Paris on April 15, 2019. - A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year. A spokesman for the cathedral told AFP that the wooden structure supporting the roof was being gutted by the blaze. (Photo by Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT / AFP) (Photo credit should read GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP/Getty Images)
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At dawn on Tuesday, as the first blush of sunrise illuminated Notre-Dame de Paris, residents gathered on the left bank of the river Seine to see the damage wrought by a devastating fire that engulfed the historic cathedral overnight.
Sarah Virot crossed herself as she looked up at the 850-year-old Gothic masterpiece, whose name means Our Lady of Paris. The cathedral lost its iconic spire and much of its medieval latticework roof in the blaze.
“For me, it’s much more than stones, it’s a part of myself that is burning,” said Virot, 32, who works for a Christian association in the capital.
Nine years ago, she stood in the nave of Notre Dame, under its vast wooden rib-vaulted ceiling, known as “the forest,” for her confirmation in the Catholic Church. Seeing the cathedral now, its delicate limestone exterior marred with soot, she was at a loss for words.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
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Notre Dame cathedral is seen on April 14, on the eve of the one year anniversary of the disastrous fire that ravaged the famous church.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Benoit Tessier/Reuters
French Army General Jean-Louis Georgelin, head of Notre Dame Cathedral's reconstruction, speaks to journalists in Paris on April 14. Work at the Paris site has been suspended since March 16, when France introduced widespread measures to help control the spread of Covid-19.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Ian Langsdon/EPE-EFE/Shutterstock
Notre Dame and the Pont de la Tournelle bridge are reflected in the Seine river on Easter Sunday, April 12.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Notre Dame cathedral rector Patrick Chauvet repositions the Crown of Thorns, a relic of the passion of Christ, after a meditation ceremony to celebrate Good Friday in a secured part of Notre Dame on April 10.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Chesnot/Getty Images
Professional mountain climbers work on a part of the Notre Dame Cathedral restoration on January 29.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images
Notre Dame Cathedral is seen undergoing renovations on January 6.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Stephane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images
A carpet from Notre Dame cathedral undergoes restoration at 'the Mobilier National' headquarters in Paris on September 12, 2019.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images
A protective net is seen installed at Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral during preliminary work on May 15, 2019, one month after the fire.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images
Flowers are laid on a bridge in front of Notre Dame on April 17, 2019.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Christophe Morin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Debris from the roof lies near the altar inside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 16, 2019, the day after the devastating fire.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Christophe Morin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Daylight shines through the fallen roof of Notre Dame on April 16, 2019.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
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The interior of Notre Dame is seen in this photo taken April 16, 2019.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Francois Mori/AP
A man inspects damage near charred windows.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Yves Herman/Reuters
Firefighters exit Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 2019.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Thibault Camus/AP
The burnt out cathedral is seen from the top of the Montparnasse tower the day after the fire.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Kamil Zihnioglu/AP
A woman reacts near Notre Dame the morning after the devastating fire.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Kamil Zihnioglu/AP
A crane lifts experts as they inspect the damage.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Kamil Zihnioglu/AP
People take photos at the scene on April 16, 2019.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Kamil Zihnioglu/AP
People stop to view Notre Dame Cathedral on the morning following the fire.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Zakaria Abdelkafi/AFP/Getty Images
Fire crews continue to secure the cathedral on April 16, 2019.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Christophe Ena/AP
Members of the fire department inspect the cathedral.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Kamil Zihnioglu/AP
Notre Dame is seen at sunrise as firefighters continue to work at the cathedral on the morning of April 16.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
AFP/Getty Images
A handout image photographed on a television screen shows an aerial view of Notre Dame Cathedral engulfed in flames on Monday, April 15, 2019.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Philippe Wojazer/AP
French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and his wife Brigitte at the scene of the fire on Monday evening.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Philippe Wojazer/AFP/Getty Images
Smoke rises in front of the altar cross inside Notre Dame Cathedral.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Christophe Ena/AP
People pray as Notre Dame Cathedral burns on Monday evening.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Francois Mori/AP
A firefighter uses a hose to tackle the flames as the cathedral's roof burns.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
JB Autissier/Panoramic/Reuters
Crowds gathered on the banks of the Seine watch the firefighters' progress.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Jacques Witt/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock
Flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame as a firefighter rushes past.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Thibault Camus/AP
The fire continues to burn into the night.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
The interior of the cathedral roof is seen smoldering.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images
Located on the Île de la Cité, a small island in the Seine, in central Paris, the cathedral is one of the city's most popular attractions, drawing an estimated 13 million visitors a year.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images
Smoke and flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral on April 15, 2019.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images
A woman reacts as she watches flames engulf the roof of the cathedral.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Benoit Tessier/Reuters
Smoke billows from the cathedral's roof and spire during the fire.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images
Passers-by watch the cathedral burn. "It's tremendously sad to see this happening to such an iconic monument," bystander Cameron Mitchell told CNN.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Benoit Tessier/Reuters
Huge clouds of smoke rise into the evening sky as fire engulfs the cathedral.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
JB Autissier/Panoramic/Reuters
Firefighters worried the cathedral's two bell towers would be destroyed.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images
The spire of the landmark cathedral collapses.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images
A man holds his head in shock as watches the fire take hold.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images
The roof of the cathedral burns.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Nicolas Liponne/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Horrified bystanders react to the fire.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Pierre Suu/Getty Images
A firefighter gets closer to the flames.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Nicolas Liponne/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Police urged everyone to avoid the area and emergency services directed people away from the scene.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images
People gather on the banks of the Seine to watch the fire's progress.
Photos: In pictures: The fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral
Philippe Wang/Getty Images
Flames roar across the roof of the cathedral.
The blaze was finally brought under control early on Tuesday morning after a heroic effort by 400 firefighters, who managed to save the cathedral’s iconic facade and twin towers, along with invaluable artifacts and works of art.
They had battled the fire for nine hours, pumping water from the nearby Seine onto the smoldering edifice as Parisians looked on in horror.
A Muslim man standing behind a police cordon chanted a song often heard at Paris Saint-Germain football matches. Runners on their morning jogs slowed, hopping from foot to foot as they assessed the damage. Tourists with suitcases in tow stood and stared. An elderly man with a cane walked down a cobblestone street to pay his respects.
“People are moved, whether they are Christians or not,” Virot said, adding that she was touched by the solidarity shown by Parisians and visitors alike, especially in the midst of the Holy Week.
Notre Dame cathedral is seen with its spire intact in 2010, left. The photo on the right shows the cathedral on April 16, after the fire destroyed the spire.
Reuters/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
The heart of Paris
Notre Dame sits at the French capital’s geographical and psychological heart, on a small island called the Île de la Cité, embraced on both sides by the Seine.
It’s not just the center of the city, but of the country; from it, all other distances to the capital are measured. And so, for Parisians, the cathedral is not just a religious structure, but a shared legacy.
Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, Notre Dame has survived rioting Huguenots, the French Revolution, two world wars, air pollution and acid rain.
It was the site of Napoleon Bonaparte’s coronation as emperor and the location for Victor Hugo’s famed novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” later enshrined in popular culture as a Disney fairytale.
“Notre Dame is our history, it’s our literature, it’s our imagery,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a speech to the nation as the fire raged. “It’s the place where we live our greatest moments, from wars to pandemics to liberations. It’s an epicentre of our lives and the point where all distances start from.”
“It’s the cathedral of all French people, including those who never visited it,” Macron added. “This history is ours. And it burns. It burns and I know the sadness so many of our fellow French feel.”
Macron pledged to rebuild the cathedral, enlisting the nation’s master craftsmen and women; funding for the repairs has been swiftly secured from French billionaires.
The nation’s beleaguered president had been due to deliver a speech Monday night addressing the demands of the “Yellow Vest” movement, an uprising that began as a protest at rising fuel prices, but has grown into calls for a complete overhaul of France’s social safety net.
The months-long demonstrations have marred the capital’s famed boulevards, causing millions of dollars in damage and plunged the nation into a malaise.
But on Tuesday, the city came together to mourn an enduring symbol of France.
Notre Dame is not just a landmark that knits Parisians together, a shared cultural touchstone, but is admired the world over as a Gothic jewel.
Photos: Notre Dame cathedral, before the fire
Shutterstock
Notre Dame: Notre Dame -- meaning "Our Lady" in French -- is a Catholic cathedral in the heart of Paris and one of the world's most celebrated buildings.
Photos: Notre Dame cathedral, before the fire
Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images
Wooden interior: The cathedral's wooden interior was lost in the devastating fire of April 15, 2019.
Photos: Notre Dame cathedral, before the fire
PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images
Rose Windows: The North Rose window, with glass dating back to the 13th century, is believed to be intact. The fate of the other two Rose Windows is still unclear.
Photos: Notre Dame cathedral, before the fire
Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images
Bell towers: The bell towers, known worldwide thanks to Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame," are still intact.
Photos: Notre Dame cathedral, before the fire
PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images
Altar: The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Paris.
Photos: Notre Dame cathedral, before the fire
Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images
Gargoyles: The cathedral's gargoyles were carved in the 19th century, for the purpose of projecting rainwater away from the building.
Photos: Notre Dame cathedral, before the fire
Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images
Crown of Thorns: One of the cathedral's most precious relics, a crown made from a band of rushes said to be part of the crown of thorns placed on Jesus's head, was saved from the fire.
The cathedral is visited by about 13 million people a year, drawn in equal measure by its religious significance, architectural mastery and rich history.
It has played host to royal weddings, coronations and the beatification of Joan of Arc. Notre Dame’s largest bell, known as Emmanuel, has tolled to mark global events including papal visits, the conclusion of World Wars and the September 11 attacks.
Sitting on a stone railing below one of the cathedral’s three enormous stained-glass rose windows, Sarah Parent du Châtelet was moved to tears at the prospect of its destruction.
“I came because I wanted to see something that was hard to imagine,” Parent du Châtelet, 33, told CNN. “I was born in Paris and I know this lady just like an immortal person. It’s impossible to imagine Paris without her.”
If the Eiffel Tower came to signify the city’s sparkling future, Notre Dame has, for generations, embodied its past. “She is the heart of Paris, eternal and spiritual,” Parent du Châtelet added.
Restoration project underway
The cathedral has been refurbished at several points over the last seven centuries, but had fallen into disrepair in recent years and was undergoing extensive renovations to safeguard the building – flying buttresses, decorative pinnacles, grimacing gargoyles and all – for the 21st century.
Just last week, 16 copper statues representing the twelve apostles and four evangelists were taken down from the cathedral so that refurbishments could be made to the spire. Other restorations were made in the cathedral’s attic, where the fire appears to have originated.
Its exterior was wrapped in scaffolding when the blaze took hold on Monday evening.
Paris prosecutor Rémy Heitz said specialists were beginning an investigation to ascertain what had caused the fire, but said there were no indications it had been started intentionally.
On Tuesday morning, four-year-old Martin, who attends a nearby pre-school, walked hand-in-hand with his mother, 37-year-old Alix De Castilla, among the crowds thronging the cathedral to check in on her.
De Castilla said she wanted to teach her son the importance of solidarity in a moment like this, the latest in a string of shocks to the capital, including floods when the Seine burst its banks last year and multiple terror attacks in 2015. She suspects this is a moment that will become important in his life as a Parisian.
As for Martin, after a long night of waiting and worrying about her fate he was relieved to see Notre Dame still standing. Pausing to smile up at Paris’ much-loved Lady, he breathed a sigh of relief: “It’s OK, she’s still there.”
Antoine Crouin contributed to this report from Paris.
