Flames and smoke rise from a fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15. Begun in 1160, completed a century later, the church survived the Reformation, the French Revolution and the Nazis. Now, its roof has collapsed and much of the interior is destroyed, including, it seems, the building’s glorious 13th-century stained-glass rose windows. The destruction seems total , and it only remains to be seen what — if any — among the innumerable artworks within can be salvaged. Simply put, medieval structures caught fire almost as a matter of course.

Source: Washington Post April 15, 2019 22:07 UTC