France Is Holding A Design Competition To Build A New Spire For The Notre-Dame Cathedral
French president, Emmanuel Macron, called for the restoration of Notre Dame cathedral after the main frame managed to avoid complete destruction.
On Tuesday night, Macron said that the symbol of France's history and culture will be rebuilt within a five-year timeline and promised it will be "more beautiful than before."
An architectural contest for competitors to submit designs for a spire to replace the one that fell during the accidental blaze on Monday has been announced to set the restoration plans in motion.
BREAKING: France announces an international architects' competition to rebuild the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral. https://t.co/QzKw30c0Cg— The Associated Press (@The Associated Press) 1555499144.0
France's Prime Minister Edouard Philippe asked the international architects' competition to rebuild a new spire. But, whether it will reflect a modern time or be an homage to the original will be up for debate.
"The international competition will allow us to ask the question of whether we should even recreate the spire as it was conceived by Viollet-le-Duc."
"Or if, as is often the case in the evolution of heritage, we should endow Notre-Dame with a new spire."
Bishop Patrick Chauvet told The Guardian that Notre Dame will remain closed to the public for five to six years, as "a segment has been very weakened."
Imaginations are running wild with proposed concepts.
@AP new look, seen it somewhere on the net https://t.co/BivP9gtVX4— AsslanKhalil (@AsslanKhalil) 1555501185.0
@KhalilAsslan @AP Honestly wouldn’t be surprised if something like this is built.— Rachel (@Rachel) 1555504293.0
@nypost it better not be some modern piece of crap! This building is almost 1000 years old! It needs to be grand and beautiful!— lovetrumpshate (@lovetrumpshate) 1555517958.0
@nypost REDESIGN??? So we weren't happy with it in the first place and good riddance?— LiterallyNoOneEver (@LiterallyNoOneEver) 1555514128.0
Let's stick to what we know.
@AP I am an architect and have a rendering completed for my design submission. Boy, I hope it wins. https://t.co/uIMRT0rZC9— MaineMan (@MaineMan) 1555502707.0
@washingtonpost Rebuild as it was earlier !! What's the point in design contest ? Replicate the old one as it was.— Sunny Samuel Mittra 🇮🇳 (@Sunny Samuel Mittra 🇮🇳) 1555523488.0
@AP Can’t they just re-create the spire that was there before? Why change the design? Maybe use a lightweight non-f… https://t.co/E3rfdHDktD— Izzy Pupper (@Izzy Pupper) 1555503140.0
@Redskins283321 @AP They don't have the blueprints— 🇹🇷 Muse 🇹🇷 (@🇹🇷 Muse 🇹🇷) 1555508002.0
@mitridatesvi @manardesazevedo @AP I agree. Just with better more modern materials. They could even keep the origin… https://t.co/FJBZDJlmj4— S Smith (@S Smith) 1555501805.0
The conical structure that collapsed was not original to the medieval cathedral built during the 13th century.
The fallen spire made of wood and lead was a taller, more ornate structure than its predecessor and was added to Notre Dame during the 19th century renovation.
Parisians are hoping to avoid a repeat modernization make-over like the controversial glass pyramid structure housing the entrance to the Louvre museum.
@AP https://t.co/PS6vHKaDAY— Hatsandwhitegloves (@Hatsandwhitegloves) 1555505473.0
@AP Ai ! :) #Notre_dame_de_Paris #NotreDameFire #intouchwithtime https://t.co/9dVEaTlsDb— Hendrik-Jan Derksen (@Hendrik-Jan Derksen) 1555512139.0
The jokesters couldn't resist presenting their proposals.
@AP I'm sure the winner will be incredibly tasteful. https://t.co/LhPMs4gOcN— Rabi Abonour (@Rabi Abonour) 1555530826.0
@AP I humbly submit my plan ‘Mmm, Yummy Ice Cream’. A fun, modern, and optimistic proposal of enormous height. https://t.co/quczz8rLzD— Ross Foley (@Ross Foley) 1555511873.0
Do they really want to tempt fate again with the same materials?
@AP But we do let’s offer them some Redwood. They are big enough, and naturally🔥resistant. “A French cultural herit… https://t.co/BoAlDsPYZd— Sir Aaron McCord (@Sir Aaron McCord) 1555499583.0
@tweeptwerp @AP Not sure, but Redwood is strong, naturally fire, and pest resistant. Plus it’s beautiful and would… https://t.co/f0Y6GP7tDd— Sir Aaron McCord (@Sir Aaron McCord) 1555522115.0
An estimate for restoring the cathedral has not been released, but fundraising efforts brought almost $1 billion in donations.
The good news is, Our Lady of Paris was saved from complete destruction thanks to the brave fire fighters determined not to let her forever disappear into history.
The Internet Is On The Hunt For A Man And A Child Adorably Pictured In Front Of The Notre-Dame Right Before It Caught On Fire
Firefighters in Paris fought valiantly to stop the fire that consumed Notre Dame Cathedral 15 hours after it began on Monday.
French president Emmanuel Macron announced he would start an international fundraising campaign to restore the centuries-old cathedral after much of its roof and the iconic spire above it collapsed from the accidental blaze.
It will take years for the cathedral to return to its former glory. Until then, the heart of Paris will never look exactly the same again.
As a tribute, many took to social media and posted photos of themselves standing in front of the medieval Catholic cathedral prior to its devastation.
One photo in particular is going viral because of its sentimental subjects in the foreground of the majestic bell towers.
Twitter user Brooke Windsor captured a sweet moment shared between a father and presumably his daughter, playing around on the Île de la Cité.
"I took this photo as we were leaving #NotreDame about an hour before it caught on fire," wrote Windsor.
"I almost went up to the dad and asked if he wanted it. Now I wish I had. Twitter if you have any magic, help him find this."
You can click on the Twitter post below to see the full photo of the father playfully swinging the kid around.
I took this photo as we were leaving #NotreDame about an hour before it caught on fire. I almost went up to the dad… https://t.co/D84QmLpjd0— Brooke Windsor (@Brooke Windsor) 1555372811
People in need of a positive moment after being heartbroken instantly connected to Windsor's post. It was retweeted around 170k times as of this writing.
The tweet was translated and posted in French, and now we're all wanting to find the lovable pair featured in the photo.
RT SVP : A la recherche du père et de la fille sur cette photo, prise environ une heure avant l'incendie de Notre-D… https://t.co/uCs6LbzB9R— av (@av) 1555375774
Due to all the queries about the identity of her subjects, Windsor clarified that she did not know what the relationship was between the man and the child.
She tweeted a followup that read, in part:
"it's simply the dynamic I observed from them while debating on interrupting this moment. It may be an uncle, brother, friend, who knows until we find them."
@ everyone in my dm’s: -I do not know for sure if it was a dad and daughter, it’s simply the dynamic I observed fro… https://t.co/FOV3Rp7z2L— Brooke Windsor (@Brooke Windsor) 1555399652
Moments after leaving the cathedral, Windsor walked to the Louvre and noticed the smoke billowing from the direction she had come.
-We walked to the Louvre afterwards. My friends noticed the smoke, and we followed (2/?) https://t.co/l76nF0jAIv— Brooke Windsor (@Brooke Windsor) 1555400199
Someone claimed they spotted the man and his family on Champs-Élysées, who were most likely unaware that their previous location was suddenly evacuated.
@brookeawindsor I 100% just saw this man and his family in the Disney shop on the champs-elysees— Louis Scriven (@Louis Scriven) 1555408920
The search was on for cool dad/uncle and cute kid.
@InYourEye99 @brookeawindsor Someone go scouting down the Champs-Élysées right now!— Tom W🔴🔴 (@Tom W🔴🔴) 1555416090
One user shared their sight-seeing route that day and wished Windsor good luck on finding "the dad."
@brookeawindsor Hope you find “the dad”. This was the exact route my wife and I did on the afternoon of Friday 4/5… https://t.co/D3YvX9ekJa— Jeff Hansen (@Jeff Hansen) 1555406304
Some commented on her timing of being at a safe distance.
@BVITrudi @brookeawindsor Same here. Knowing that I’ll never be able to see it in its original form is just heartbr… https://t.co/hOm9FA4YuG— StarWarsWords (@StarWarsWords) 1555423535
@brookeawindsor Must’ve been awful to know you saw it in its “original form” before it was completely changed forev… https://t.co/7wcFTSfbFP— StarWarsWords (@StarWarsWords) 1555376435
The thing is, "Our Lady of Paris" has been here before, and she will endure for many years to come.
@CloneWarsWords @BVITrudi @brookeawindsor It’s constantly changing. There’s been damage over the centuries - especi… https://t.co/wb1sWBxm9K— Dr. Jennifer Drake (@Dr. Jennifer Drake) 1555432490
We're all waiting for any updates. And it's not creepy. We just need some uplifting news right now.
@brookeawindsor I hope twitter does have some magic, that is a great picture.— Jimbo 🌁🌉🌄🏞🏝🌊💧 #STEM (@Jimbo 🌁🌉🌄🏞🏝🌊💧 #STEM) 1555375846
@brookeawindsor @yashar This is going to become THAT photo.— Michelle Bhasin (@Michelle Bhasin) 1555375363
@LouisaDavies19 @brookeawindsor @rachelparris I think she was taking a picture of the cathedral and just happened t… https://t.co/nzPPHBNLDc— Suzy (@Suzy) 1555407605
While most of Twitter felt sentimental over the photo, cynics argued that the hunt for the dad and child in the photo was some sort of a violation.
But, this user spoke as someone who is also a father and justified for the viral reactions.
@brookeawindsor He will be found and grateful for this candid moment . 🙏🏼— MommaT (@MommaT) 1555382938
@brookeawindsor @yashar I want to see this as a feel good news story within the next 24 hrs that this picture makes… https://t.co/HX7wbvygeW— kait (@kait) 1555383536
@brookeawindsor @cenchreae2 As a father FIND THIS DAD!— Democrateas🇺🇦 (@Democrateas🇺🇦) 1555377035
While there haven't been any inroads made on the search, Twitter magic to find the family is still underway.
@brookeawindsor @PrincessBravato Maybe he will see this and find you. Using some majik https://t.co/COsJWV7QI7— Major Rocher R.N., I hate trump, vote blue (@Major Rocher R.N., I hate trump, vote blue) 1555377415
@brookeawindsor Please Twitter World. Retweet this photo, with the hope that someone will recognize the man and li… https://t.co/fNtQmzxZSl— Gwen Graham (@Gwen Graham) 1555375433
If you were casually a part of someone else's picture moments before a historical incident, wouldn't you want to be found?