Fire burns Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.

Notre Dame fire

Notre Dame cathedral burns in Paris, France, Monday, April 15, 2019. Massive plumes of yellow-brown smoke filled the air and ash fell upon tourists and others around the island in the center of Paris.

Stained glass windows

Flames are seen through a destroyed stained glass window as the Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris, April 15, 2019.

Charred roof

Inspectors are seen on the roof of the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 16, 2019, the day after a devastating fire destroyed much of the main roof. 

Altar and debris

Charred debris surrounds the altar inside Notre Dame Catheral in Paris in the aftermath of the devastating fire, April 16, 2019. 

Altar and cross

Smoke rises around the altar and cross still standing inside the Notre Dame Cathedral as a fire continues to burn in Paris, in the early hours of April 16, 2019.

Flames

Flames rise up during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019. The cause of the fire was possibly renovation work being carried out at the site, the fire service said.

Roof ablaze

Smoke billows near scaffolding as fire engulfs the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France April 15, 2019.

Spire collapse

The steeple of the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral collapses as the cathedral is engulfed in flames in central Paris on April 15, 2019.

Spire collapse

Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris as the spire collapses on April 15, 2019.

Paris in shock

A man reacts as he watches flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.

Notre Dame fire

Firefighters direct a stream of water against the flames consuming the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.

Billowing smoke

Smoke and flames envelop the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris as a fire burns out of control on April 15, 2019. 

Aerial view

A photo taken from Montparnasse Tower in Paris shows flames and smoke billowing from the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral on April 15, 2019.

Flames

Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019.

Spire ablaze

A bird flies past the flaming spire as a massive fire burns at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, April 15, 2019. The spire later collapsed.

Spire collapse

This sequence of photos shows the steeple engulfed in flames collapsing as the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral burns on April 15, 2019 in Paris. 

Watching the blaze

People watch from a distance as the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral burns in central Paris on April 15, 2019.

Inside Notre Dame

A Paris fire brigade member is seen in a doorway as he looks into the Notre Dame Cathedral as a fire continues to burn, April 15, 2019.

Fire at dusk

Firefighters douse flames of the burning Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, April 15, 2019.

Prayers

People kneel on the pavement and pray as they watch flames engulf Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.

Smoke fills skyline

Smoke billows as fire engulfs the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France April 15, 2019.

Inspecting the damage

Firefighters atop Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 16, 2019, in the aftermath of a fire that caused its spire to crash to the ground.

Before and after

Photos show the transept of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris before, top, and a day after the devastating fire, April 16, 2019. 

Notre Dame

The Cathedral of Notre Dame (meaning "Our Lady"), on the island called Île de la Cité in Paris, is shown in 1911. One of the world's finest examples of Gothic architecture, the cathedral was completed in the mid-13th century on the site of a basilica built between the 4th and 7th centuries. Notre Dame underwent renovations over time, and would house artwork and sacred relics, including, it was said, the crown of thorns worn by Jesus Christ. 

The cathedral was severely damaged during the French Revolution, but interest in preserving the site was sparked by Victor Hugo's popular 1831 novel, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." 

Today it is the most-visited landmark in Paris, with 12 million visitors in 2017.

Gargoyles

Gargoyles watch over the streets of Paris from the top of the Notre Dame Cathedral, Friday, Jan 10, 1997. 

Wire Walker

In 1971, professional tightrope walker Philippe Petit, then 21 years old, appears as the tiny figure lying on a tightrope, 225 feet above the ground, that was strung between the two towers of Notre Dame Cathedral, during a stunt which lasted several hours.

The Pope's visit

Pope John Paul II attends mass celebrating the beatification of Frederic Ozanam, a 19th-century French layman who founded the St-Vincent-de-Paul charity, at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Aug. 22, 1997.

Target

French police and gendarmes stand at the scene of a shooting incident near the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, June 6, 2017.

Renovation

On April 11, 2019, just days before the fire broke out, a statue of St. John is removed by a crane from the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, part of extensive restoration work being done at the site.

Restoration

A statue of St. Andrew, perched atop the cathedral, was lowered as part of a restoration effort. Sixteen greenish-gray copper statues, representing the twelve apostles and four evangelists, were lowered by a 100-meter crane onto a truck to be taken for restoration in southwestern France.

Relic saved from flames

This file photo from 2014 shows a crown of thorns the faithful believe was worn by Jesus, displayed during a ceremony at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The relic was reportedly among the items saved from the devastating fire on April 15, 2019.

Onlookers

People watch as smoke billows from Notre Dame Cathedral during a fire in Paris, France, April 15, 2019.

Firefighters

Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.

Smoke rises over Paris

Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. 

After the spire collapsed, a church spokesman told French media that all of Notre Dame Cathedral's frame was burning.

Conflagration

Flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019.

Flames at twilight

Flames glow in the twilight as a fire burns at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019.

Firefighters

Paris firefighters spray water on the flames as the Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris, April 15, 2019.

Damaged altar

Smoke rises around the altar in front of the cross inside the Notre Dame Cathedral as a fire continues to burn in Paris, in the early hours of April 16, 2019.

Fighting the flames

Firefighters spray water to extinguish flames as the Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris, April 15, 2019.

Interior on fire

Flames and smoke are seen as the interior continues to burn inside the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, in the early hours of April 16, 2019.

Damage and debris

A view of the damaged roof and debris inside Notre Dame in Paris in the aftermath of a fire that devastated the cathedral, April 16, 2019. 

Interior damage

Fire damage is seen in the interior of the Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 2019, the day after a major fire at the Gothic landmark in Paris.

Roof destroyed

Interior view of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in the aftermath of a fire that devastated the historic site. Officials said two-thirds of the roof was destroyed.

Flowers

Flowers are seen outside the French embassy in Moscow in solidarity with the French people after a fire ravaged the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, April 16, 2019.

The day after

A man takes pictures from the banks of the Seine river in Paris on April 16, 2019, in the aftermath of a fire at Notre Dame Cathedral.