Notre Dame (Paris) on fire?



Seeing the images, it is tragic for the people of Paris that this iconic building has been so damaged by fire. Imagine how we would feel if this happened to Durham Cathedral. Nevertheless I am absolutely certain that it will be rebuilt, the authorities cannot do otherwise. It will take years but it will be restored, Durham Cathedral itself was constructed in only 40 years, a remarkable achievement when all that they had was muscle power.
If anyone has visited York Minster, they can marvel at the repairs and improvements carried out there since the south transept fire in 1984. It is as if the fire never happened, such is the quality of the work.
 
Seeing the images, it is tragic for the people of Paris that this iconic building has been so damaged by fire. Imagine how we would feel if this happened to Durham Cathedral. Nevertheless I am absolutely certain that it will be rebuilt, the authorities cannot do otherwise. It will take years but it will be restored, Durham Cathedral itself was constructed in only 40 years, a remarkable achievement when all that they had was muscle power.
If anyone has visited York Minster, they can marvel at the repairs and improvements carried out there since the south transept fire in 1984. It is as if the fire never happened, such is the quality of the work.
A friend went out with a lass who was a stone mason for York Minster. It was interesting chatting to her, her speciality was stone gargoyles. A career you don’t think people would do anymore, but needs doing to keep the old architecture alive.
 
Just pulling his leg mate. Reims is beautiful too.

I'm gutted, I once spent a entire holiday visiting the major cathedrals of France, one of the best holidays I've ever had.
That sounds brilliant although I did something similar in Italy and have to admit that I started to get 'magnificent building' fatigue after a while. I should probably visit France more often as, apart from Paris, I only been a couple of times. Not sure why, probably a silly, subconscious prejudice.

A friend went out with a lass who was a stone mason for York Minster. It was interesting chatting to her, her speciality was stone gargoyles. A career you don’t think people would do anymore, but needs doing to keep the old architecture alive.
Apparently, 99% look like Bob Todd.
 
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That sounds brilliant although I did something similar in Italy and have to admit that I started to get 'magnificent building' fatigue after a while. I should probably visit France more often as, apart from Paris, I only been a couple of times. Not sure why, probably a silly, subconscious prejudice.

Fair point. I did reach a stage where I felt I was "box ticking". I kept it at bay by reading up on the cultural and architectural history/significance of each cathedral before the visits. :D

Italy is next on my list. I intend to include opera houses on this one. ;)

That sounds brilliant although I did something similar in Italy and have to admit that I started to get 'magnificent building' fatigue after a while. I should probably visit France more often as, apart from Paris, I only been a couple of times. Not sure why, probably a silly, subconscious prejudice.

:cool:
 
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Fair point. I did reach a stage where I felt I was "box ticking". I kept it at bay by reading up on the cultural and architectural history/significance of each cathedral before the visits. :D

Italy is next on my list. I intend to include opera houses on this one. ;)



:cool:
Have you read "pillars of the earth"

It gives you a real appreciaton of the science and effort of these buildings considering when they were constructed
 
A friend went out with a lass who was a stone mason for York Minster. It was interesting chatting to her, her speciality was stone gargoyles. A career you don’t think people would do anymore, but needs doing to keep the old architecture alive.
I go past the stonemasons yard whenever I am in York, just to watch them for a while. When they have finished the restorations at the Minster, I am sure that they will be off to Paris.

Have you read "pillars of the earth"

It gives you a real appreciaton of the science and effort of these buildings considering when they were constructed
Read that book because it was so well researched and learned a lot.
 
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According to Wiki, Durham Cathedral was finished 30 years before they even started building Notre Dam.

I always think we massively undersell ourselves up here in the North East. You get on a train from London in the summer and will see American tourists doing London, York and Edinburgh and possibly Peterborough to see the cathedrals etc, but they go straight past Durham and its easily as good if not better than Peterborough and York.
 
Fair point. I did reach a stage where I felt I was "box ticking". I kept it at bay by reading up on the cultural and architectural history/significance of each cathedral before the visits. :D

Italy is next on my list. I intend to include opera houses on this one. ;)



:cool:
That should be interesting. I'm not a fan of opera but I've done the tours of the opera houses in Naples and Palermo which are both fantastic. Never managed La Scala in Milan though.
 

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