News that the fire was probably accidental has done nothing to ease for the symbol of national pride immortalized in Victor Hugos 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Notre Dame has survived the revolutionary history of France, and this happened during building works, said influential former Culture Minister Jack Lang. Notre Dame is part of a UNESCO heritage site and UNESCO has offered its expertise. Peter Fuessenich, who oversees reconstruction for the Gothic cathedral in Cologne, Germany, said it could take decades to repair Notre Dame. When the last stone was set in Notre Dame, the first one was laid here in Cologne, and in this respect it affects us all very much.

Source: ABC News April 16, 2019 06:43 UTC