Paris- Notre Dame Cathedral on fire

[widgeon13]

How much can the intense heat effect the old mortar, will that be an issue in rebuilding?

[javadog]

It was an issue before the fire even started.

[red-beard]

They need to get horizontal supports in quickly. The flying buttress design puts force on the walls to balance the horizontal forces generated from the roof. Without the roof, the buttresses will push the walls in.

[widgeon13]

Seems like an engineering nightmare with tremendous risk but also worth the cost and effort.

My wife and I were there in the winter of 1970 when I was stationed in Germany.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by red-beard

They need to get horizontal supports in quickly. The flying buttress design puts force on the walls to balance the horizontal forces generated from the roof. Without the roof, the buttresses will push the walls in.

I think that the rib vaults are mostly intact.

[flatbutt]

When you consider the temps in that fire the mortar may indeed be compromised but if it was only the roof burning then the walls and buttresses may not have gotten all that hot.

The rebuild is going to be a stunning effort. Of course modern techniques will be used but how many craftsmen have the skills to do that work?

[Jolly Amaranto]

It has been repaired before. During the French Revolution, mobs inflicted a lot of damage. It was looted of anything that could be carried away. The great Gallery of Kings became a prime target for the ignorant mob, chopping the heads off what they thought were the kings of France, the resulting mess being thrown into some a lot somewhere. Some heads were eventually rescued and can now be seen in the Cluny museum in Paris. In order to make bullets , they also ripped off the lead sheathing on the roof, allowing the rain to enter, adding even more damage.

[widgeon13]

I think there are more craftsmen for this kind of work in Europe than America. They have tremendous experience from rebuilding after WWII.

When I lived in Germany in a small village many of the homes looked 200 years old but on the inside were beautiful marble floors and finished bare wood walls, beautiful workmanship.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

While there are still some real craftsmen around, mostly the USA (and Europe to some extent) now have schlockers who think that because they can throw a low bid at something and drive around in an F150 with a magnetic sign with their name stuck on it that it makes them one.

This whole incident is so, so unbelievably tragic. What was lost can’t / won’t be replaced the same way, but I have no doubt it will at least be replaced / rebuilt as closely as can be done.

Horrible.

[flatbutt]

The stained glass can certainly be replaced but just knowing that the original glass is gone is tragic. I know that some may say glass is glass is glass but for me knowing that I'm looking at a work of art which was created centuries ago makes it more special.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by john70t

The French government sits back and watches it burn....
Meanwhile ingenuity of fire brigades and helicopters cable of carrying extreme loads are available from nearby airports are noticeably absent.

There were helicopters, but really? We're gonna give the French government lessons after Katrina, puerto Rico, etc ? Really ?

[mepstein]

Terrible loss but France will spare no expense to rebuild. I saw it in the 90's. Beautiful!

[Deschodt]

I feel I should point out the entire country is a hotbed of really cool old castles and churches, and while Notre Dame de Paris was famous due to the hunchback (victor hugo) and its relatively accessible paris location, I've seen way more impressive outside of the capital... Reims comes to mind and that was damaged too - Orleans is not bad either... If you wanna help, go visit outside of Paris !!

If you are into old stones and medieveal stuff, do yourself a favor and check out Carcassonne ! The food (duck cassoulet) will also knock your socks off and there is still an entire fortified city, it'll blow your mind !



To me this is 10x cooler than notre dame ever was...

Also, on another note, 400 mil euros are already pledged, which makes me wonder why the vatican isn't jumping in. God knows they have a stake in the church, a lot of money, and a lot to atone for (sex scandals), that would be a great start and a good PR coup !

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Something I stumbled on.

Notre Dame Cathedral Is Crumbling. Who Will Help Save It? | Time

[drcoastline]

It was reported this morning Salma Hayek's husband who is a French billionaire donated $113 million to repair Notre Dame. It was also reported two French Families donated a combined $335 Million to repair the building. I am unsure if Hayek's husband is one of those families or in addition to.

But I wonder does the Catholic Church really need donations to rebuild Notre Dame? After all it is one of the richest if not THE richest organization in the world.

[stevej37]

Hope they had Farmers Insurance.
They've seen a thing or two.

[fastfredracing]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Hope they had Farmers Insurance.
They've seen a thing or two.

bum ba bum bum bum

[Deschodt]

interesting read...
The fire department in Paris followed a protocol: Save the people, save the art, save the altar, save what furniture you can, then focus on the structure, in that order. They know what can be rebuilt and what can't.
This protocol has been in place since the last time the cathedral was destroyed, sacked during the French revolution.
The steeple and the beams supporting it are 160 years old, and oaks for new beams awaits at Versailles, the grown replacements for oaks cut to rebuild after the revolution.
This is The Long Now in action. It's what happens when you maintain civilization.
Paris has a priest firefighter that ran into a burning cathedral to save Jesus's crown of thorns!! So what might have looked like inaction to some was actually a careful plan being followed based on previous events - cool...

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

interesting read...
The fire department in Paris followed a protocol: Save the people, save the art, save the altar, save what furniture you can, then focus on the structure, in that order. They know what can be rebuilt and what can't.
This protocol has been in place since the last time the cathedral was destroyed, sacked during the French revolution.
The steeple and the beams supporting it are 160 years old, and oaks for new beams awaits at Versailles, the grown replacements for oaks cut to rebuild after the revolution.
This is The Long Now in action. It's what happens when you maintain civilization.
Paris has a priest firefighter that ran into a burning cathedral to save Jesus's crown of thorns!! So what might have looked like inaction to some was actually a careful plan being followed based on previous events - cool...

WOW- interesting, where did you read that.

[GH85Carrera]

I saw a video once somewhere when a aerial drop of water was done to a car and if almost flattened the car. Water dropped from air was not a viable solution and very well could have done a lot of damage on top of the fire.

Dropping water on burning trees in a forest is just not the same thing.

I have to wonder, when the replace those beams, will they use steel? I would hope so. Steel will last a lot longer than wood.

I would think the Catholic church can write a check to pay for the damage. Especially with millions in donations to boot.