This is far off topic. Sorry.
But, turning to the news a couple hours ago and witnessing – with the rest of the world – the destruction of a global icon – for many a global treasure – was shocking. I recall walking the nave of that building and feeling the whispers of 800+ years of history, both glorious and dreadful, pressing in from all sides. Like everything, it has slipped into memory.
Such a tragedy! Notre Dame was the first ‘real’ cathedral I ever saw. I had been into Australian cathedrals (which are far less grand) and didn’t see what the big deal was. I remember walking into the nave and feeling an incredible sense of awe at its scale and (despite that) grace.
I’ve been crying, it is horrible. I watched the video of the spire collapsing and had to stop. Feels like 9/11
The latest news is that “the worst has been avoided.” I hope that’s true.
It should not be, thankfully.
(btw it has been rebuilt at least a couple of times in it’s history, it will be rebuilt again 
)
indeed!
and many times in the centuries at some point a king decided to tear down something and rebuild it, so we lost a lot of “versions” of those monuments 
Good point! See Old St Paul’s, for example:
Perhaps this thread is not entirely off topic, as it turns out:
This is heartbreaking. Visited there twice. It was so spiritual. 2nd visit was with my son then aged 4- and now 41. I hope he remembers the visit.
Frauenkirche after the criminal bombing of Dresden and today.
There are reports in the French media that the French authorities are saying that a “computer glitch”. Maybe it’s an error in translation. And surely no Mac’s involved (I would hope). But do the computer experts here have thoughts? To start a fire requires heat, fuel, and oxygen. Which of these delivered by computer?
The press ascribe the comment to the “rector” of the cathedral – most likely not a position requiring any technical background. I wouldn’t read much into meaningless terms like “computer glitch”.
