'Art and history destroyed before our eyes': Witnesses share their horror as the Notre Dame Cathedral is engulfed in flames

  • The fire in the Parisian landmark of the Notre Dame Cathedral was first reported at 6.50pm on Monday
  • Hundreds of distraught Parisians and tourists watched the tragedy unfold, with many of them lost for words 
  • People around the world took to social media to express their sadness as the blaze continued on for hours

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Notre Dame Cathedral went up in flames on Monday in a roaring blaze that devastated the Parisian landmark, leaving the city, France, and the international community distraught. 

Flames that began in the early evening burst through the roof of the centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which collapsed, quickly followed by the entire roof.

While a huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area, Parisians and tourists watched on, as others took to social media to express their sorrow.

'Centuries of art and history destroyed before our eyes. This building has stood since the Middle Ages. This is absolutely devastating,' one Twitter user wrote.

Later in the evening, those in the city gathered together to say prayers and sing hymns in front of the nearby Saint Julien Les Pauvres church as the massive blaze continued only a few hundred meters away.

Notre Dame Cathedral went up in flames on Monday in a roaring blaze that devastated the Parisian landmark, with shocked onlookers watching

Notre Dame Cathedral went up in flames on Monday in a roaring blaze that devastated the Parisian landmark, with shocked onlookers watching 

People kneel on the pavement as they pray for the Parisian landmark which has been ruined by flames on Monday evening

People kneel on the pavement as they pray for the Parisian landmark which has been ruined by flames on Monday evening

Parisians kneel on the pavement as they pray outside while watching the roaring flames engulf Notre Dame Cathedral

Parisians kneel on the pavement as they pray outside while watching the roaring flames engulf Notre Dame Cathedral

Shocked bystanders on the River Seine look on as flames and smoke billow from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

Shocked bystanders on the River Seine look on as flames and smoke billow from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron, 41, and his wife Brigitte Macron, 66, pay a visit to firemen fighting against the blaze
French President Emmanuel Macron, 41, and his wife Brigitte Macron, 66, pay a visit to firemen fighting against the blaze

French President Emmanuel Macron, 41, and his wife Brigitte Macron, 66, pay a visit to firemen fighting against the blaze

Many were quietly singing an Ave Maria in Latin, including Stephane Seigneurie, 52, who said he has lived in Paris for the past 25 years.

'I come often, and go in even where there's no mass because it's an extraordinary place, entwined in the history of France,' he said. 'Politically, intellectually and spiritually, it's a symbol of France.'

Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit has invited priests across France to ring the bells of their churches in a call for prayers for Notre Dame.

'Paris is disfigured. The city will never be like it was before,' said Philippe, a communications worker in his mid-30s, who had biked over to the scene after being alerted of the fire by a friend.

'I'm a Parisian, my father was a Parisian, my grandfather as well - this was something we brought our sons to see,' he said. 'I won't be showing this to my son.' 

Instagram was flooded with memes from users expressing their sorrow
Some showed pictures of Quasimodo from Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, embracing the cathedral

Instagram was flooded with memes from users expressing their sorrow, some showing pictures of Quasimodo from Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, embracing the cathedral. One posted an image of the character holding the burning building in his hands, and wrote: 'Today he cries. It was the part of a childhood of a lot of people around the world'

'It's a tragedy,' he added. 'If you pray, now is the time to pray.' 

'Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for the building,' said witness Jacek Poltorak, watching the fire from a fifth-floor balcony two blocks from the southern facade of the cathedral, one of France's most visited places.  

Tourists and Parisians gather near the cathedral to pray for the Parisian landmark and also sing hymns in front of the nearby Saint Julien Les Pauvres church

Tourists and Parisians gather near the cathedral to pray for the Parisian landmark and also sing hymns in front of the nearby Saint Julien Les Pauvres church

Parisians gather on the River Seine this evening to look at the flames spreading throughout the cathedral. The blaze started in the late afternoon

Parisians gather on the River Seine this evening to look at the flames spreading throughout the cathedral. The blaze started in the late afternoon

Crowds of stunned Parisians and tourists - some crying, others offering prayers - watched in horror in central Paris on Monday night as firefighters struggled for hours to extinguish the flames engulfing the Notre-Dame Cathedral

Crowds of stunned Parisians and tourists - some crying, others offering prayers - watched in horror in central Paris on Monday night as firefighters struggled for hours to extinguish the flames engulfing the Notre-Dame Cathedral

A woman with tears in her eyes clasps her hands in front of her as she watches the flames spread over the cathedral, and a man puts his head in his hands in despair

A woman with tears in her eyes clasps her hands in front of her as she watches the flames spread over the cathedral, and a man puts his head in his hands in despair

A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

A woman talks on the phone and begins to cry as she watches the flames rip through the roof of the iconic Parisian landmark

'Notre Dame is perhaps one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever set foot in, and watching it burn down is absolutely soul crushing,' read one Twitter post. 

'Terrible seeing the Notre Dame in flames. Art and history turned to ashes. So glad no one has been hurt. Paris we are with you and will be there to see it restored. Shocking news,' another social media user said. 

Others described the tragedy of never being able to see the Notre Dame as it was before the blaze.

'Sad I'll never get to see Notre Dame,' one Twitter user wrote. 'It's on my bucket list and now one of the historic landmarks is just gone! Thoughts go out to France'. 

'It's finished, we'll never be able to see it again,' said Jerome Fautrey, a 37-year-old who had come to watch. 

Horrified onlookers watch as the 850-year-old Gothic building goes up in flames, shocking the international community

Horrified onlookers watch as the 850-year-old Gothic building goes up in flames, shocking the international community

Tourists and those living in Paris watch the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral burning in central Paris as the nearby area is evacuated

Tourists and those living in Paris watch the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral burning in central Paris as the nearby area is evacuated

While a huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area, Parisians and tourists watched on, some of them lost for words
While a huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area, Parisians and tourists watched on, some of them lost for words

While a huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area, Parisians and tourists watched on, some of them lost for words

A crying woman clutches her scarf for comfort as she watches the flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

A crying woman clutches her scarf for comfort as she watches the flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

People sit and watch as the flames blaze through the landmark building, with some taking to their phones to share the news

People sit and watch as the flames blaze through the landmark building, with some taking to their phones to share the news

'It's incredible, our history is going up in smoke,' said Benoit, 42, who arrived on the scene by bike.

Sam Ogden, 50, had arrived from London on Monday with her husband, their two teenaged sons, and her mother. They had come to Paris specifically to see Notre-Dame, part of a world tour over years to see historic sites.

'This is really sad - the saddest thing I've ever stood and watched in my life,' Ogden said, adding that the fire looked tiny at the beginning, 'then within an hour it all came down. 

Miguel-Angel Godia, his wife Esther Fajardo and their daughter Raquel, 10 - who had seen the animated 'Hunchback of Notre-Dame' film - had planned on visiting the church for the first time Tuesday.

'It's a real shame... it's something so immense, so emblematic,' said Esther, wiping tears from behind her glasses with the tip of a scarf. 

Distraught onlookers stand on a bridge looking at smoke and flames rising during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral

Distraught onlookers stand on a bridge looking at smoke and flames rising during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral

A woman and a young boy stand at the window of an apartment as they watch the flames on the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral

A woman and a young boy stand at the window of an apartment as they watch the flames on the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral

Hundreds of people line the banks of the River Seine on Monday as they stare at the tragic scene, with the Notre Dame Cathedral immersed in flames

Hundreds of people line the banks of the River Seine on Monday as they stare at the tragic scene, with the Notre Dame Cathedral immersed in flames

A distraught woman appears to abandon her bicycle and sit on the street as she stares sorrowfully at the flames engulfing the landmark

A distraught woman appears to abandon her bicycle and sit on the street as she stares sorrowfully at the flames engulfing the landmark 

Stunned individuals stand next to the River Seine as they watch the Notre Dame Cathedral burn on Monday evening

Stunned individuals stand next to the River Seine as they watch the Notre Dame Cathedral burn on Monday evening

A shocked woman can't stop staring as the landmark is ruined by blazing flames on Monday, while talking on the phone

A shocked woman can't stop staring as the landmark is ruined by blazing flames on Monday, while talking on the phone

'I have a lot of friends who live abroad and every time they come I tell them to go to Notre Dame,' said witness Samantha Silva, with tears in her eyes.

'I've visited it so many times, but it will never be the same. It's a real symbol of Paris.' 

Jeanne Duffy, 62, had travelled from New York to Paris with her twin daughters to see her nephew run the Paris marathon on Sunday.

The girls had wanted to climb the church's towers Monday evening but at the last minute the three decided to go to Disneyland Paris instead.

'We were heartbroken. This is a world treasure. Everyone knows Notre-Dame,' Duffy said.

Firefighters tried to contain the blaze with water hoses and cleared the area around Notre Dame, which sits on an island in the River Seine and marks the very centre of Paris. 

Parisians look at the flames burning the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral from the bridges on the Seine river in Paris

Parisians look at the flames burning the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral from the bridges on the Seine river in Paris

A man puts his hand to his mouth in pure shock as he watches the flames burst from the historic cathedral

A man puts his hand to his mouth in pure shock as he watches the flames burst from the historic cathedral

Bystanders look on from a bridge over the River Seine as flames and smoke engulf the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

Bystanders look on from a bridge over the River Seine as flames and smoke engulf the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

A colossal fire swept through the famed Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris and onlookers stared at the scene in shock

A colossal fire swept through the famed Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris and onlookers stared at the scene in shock 

Buildings around were evacuated and nobody was injured, junior interior minister Laurent Nunez said at the scene, adding: 'It's too early to determine the causes of the fire.' 

France 2 television reported that police were treating it as an accident. 

'Everything is collapsing,' a police officer near the scene said as the entire roof of the cathedral continued to burn.   

'Like all our compatriots, I am sad this evening to see this part of all of us burn,' President Emmanuel Macron tweeted. 

'There are a lot of art works inside...it's a real tragedy,' Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said at the scene.  

Reaction: Those watching the tragedy unfold around the world were quick to take to social media to convey their sorrow

Reaction: Those watching the tragedy unfold around the world were quick to take to social media to convey their sorrow

Macron cancelled an address to the nation that he had been due to give later on Monday evening. A presidential official said Macron was to go to the scene of the blaze. 

The cathedral was in the midst of renovations, with some sections under scaffolding and bronze statues were removed last week for works.

The wood and lead spire was built during a restoration in the mid-19th century, according to the cathedral's website.

The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century, features in Victor Hugo's classic novel 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts millions of tourists every year.

The Gothic cathedral is famed for its many carved stone gargoyles, stunning stained glass windows and the flying buttresses that hold up its walls.

Flames that began in the early evening burst through the roof of the centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which collapsed, quickly followed by the entire roof

Flames that began in the early evening burst through the roof of the centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which collapsed, quickly followed by the entire roof

The flames and smoke engulf the historic gothic building on Monday afternoon. Parisians prayed and cried as they watched it burn

The flames and smoke engulf the historic gothic building on Monday afternoon. Parisians prayed and cried as they watched it burn

The burning orange of the flames can be seen through the rose petal window this evening as Parisians and tourists look on in horror as the blaze continues to spread at the cathedral

The burning orange of the flames can be seen through the rose petal window this evening as Parisians and tourists look on in horror as the blaze continues to spread at the cathedral

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