News Article: Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on fire

TIDE-HSV

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It will look like that again, and last another 800+ years.
I actually don't think it will. DeLuc's wooden spire was not particularly popular when he added it in the mid-1800s and there's remained an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with it ever since, particularly his trick of having St. Thomas, patron saint of architects, turned inward looking up at his spire. I look for the new spire to be about the height of the original one - about 1/3 the height of the burned one - and one leading French architect has said that the framework should be of titanium to reduce the load and the spire, whatever form it takes, should be of non-flammable carbon fiber. Many consider the cathedral at Reims to be more beautiful and better proportioned, particularly after deLuca's modifications to ND Paris. Below is a sketch of Reims before WWII destruction. Note that the spire is exactly the same height as the bell towers and, rather than being central, is positioned at the rear, over the apse...Reims cathedral before bombing.jpg
 

Ledsteplin

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I actually don't think it will. DeLuc's wooden spire was not particularly popular when he added it in the mid-1800s and there's remained an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with it ever since, particularly his trick of having St. Thomas, patron saint of architects, turned inward looking up at his spire. I look for the new spire to be about the height of the original one - about 1/3 the height of the burned one - and one leading French architect has said that the framework should be of titanium to reduce the load and the spire, whatever form it takes, should be of non-flammable carbon fiber. Many consider the cathedral at Reims to be more beautiful and better proportioned, particularly after deLuca's modifications to ND Paris. Below is a sketch of Reims before WWII destruction. Note that the spire is exactly the same height as the bell towers and, rather than being central, is positioned at the rear, over the apse...View attachment 3576
Yes, I'm sure there will be a few changes. But I think they'll try to preserve the look as much as possible. It's going to be really nice.
 

Go Bama

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This is the cathedral in Chartres, about 50 miles west of Paris. IMO, it’s a prettier church than Notre Dame, which before the fire was gorgeous.


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BamaNation

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Recently, I have been reading Ken Follett's Kingsbridge series. I'm almost finished with the 3rd book. The central "character" in all three books is an enormous fictional cathedral built in England around the same time as ND and has gone through updates and modifications and collapses, etc. through its history. Having read this series and having visited many beautiful cathederals all over Europe gives me greater appreciation for the imagination and ingenuity to have constructed something like this without computers, simulation, blueprints, etc. The fact it has endured 800+ years is incredible.
 

DzynKingRTR

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Recently, I have been reading Ken Follett's Kingsbridge series. I'm almost finished with the 3rd book. The central "character" in all three books is an enormous fictional cathedral built in England around the same time as ND and has gone through updates and modifications and collapses, etc. through its history. Having read this series and having visited many beautiful cathederals all over Europe gives me greater appreciation for the imagination and ingenuity to have constructed something like this without computers, simulation, blueprints, etc. The fact it has endured 800+ years is incredible.
In those days, most of the time the architect, engineer, and construction manager were the same guy. The amount of bureaucracy that we have to go through now is insane. Plus the amount of drawings we are required to do. I could go further into a rant but it might get to borderline politics so I will refrain.
 
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TIDE-HSV

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Recently, I have been reading Ken Follett's Kingsbridge series. I'm almost finished with the 3rd book. The central "character" in all three books is an enormous fictional cathedral built in England around the same time as ND and has gone through updates and modifications and collapses, etc. through its history. Having read this series and having visited many beautiful cathederals all over Europe gives me greater appreciation for the imagination and ingenuity to have constructed something like this without computers, simulation, blueprints, etc. The fact it has endured 800+ years is incredible.
Have you read "The Spire" by William Golding, author of "The Lord of the Flies," about the building of a cathedral. You might like it - has an enormous twist at the end...
 

Tidewater

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Interesting article on the rebuilding effort.
It leverages the peculiar characteristics of the interwebs in a way that a print version could not.

The battle for Notre Dame

Do the rebuilders want to inject something modern in the rebuilt version (think the glass pyramid at the Louvre). Some French injections of the modern into the ancient work. Sometimes They are just silly and frivolous.
 

Go Bama

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Interesting article on the rebuilding effort.
It leverages the peculiar characteristics of the interwebs in a way that a print version could not.

The battle for Notre Dame

Do the rebuilders want to inject something modern in the rebuilt version (think the glass pyramid at the Louvre). Some French injections of the modern into the ancient work. Sometimes They are just silly and frivolous.
Paywalled. I think this is the same article and it is not paywalled.

 

Go Bama

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I have no vote and no voice (and in reality, it doesn't affect me in any way at all), but I can't fathom wanting to 'update' or 'modernize' an iconic part of history.

The pyramid at the Louvre is hideous.
Agree. And that pyramid ... oy vey.

Rebuild it like it was and future generations will be grateful.
 
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Tidewater

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Paywalled. I think this is the same article and it is not paywalled.

Weird. It is not behind a paywall for me, using Firefox.
I certainly am not a subscriber to the "quaint alternative newspaper in Washington."
The version you linked to is the same, without the cool graphics in the link I posted.
Strange.
 

B1GTide

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Weird. It is not behind a paywall for me, using Firefox.
I certainly am not a subscriber to the "quaint alternative newspaper in Washington."
The version you linked to is the same, without the cool graphics in the link I posted.
Strange.
Not blocked for me, either - also using Firefox.
 

Go Bama

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I suspect the NYT ,WP, and WSJ all allow you 5-10 articles per month as a teaser then you are blocked. I finally broke down and subscribed to the NYT and really enjoy it. It’s left wing in the opinions but very fair in news reporting.
 
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