In The Wake Of The Notre-Dame Fire, Experts Made A Disturbing Discovery
In April 2019, the world looked on in horror as Notre-Dame, one of the world’s most iconic places of worship, was engulfed in flames. This was no ordinary fire. It left the building almost completely destroyed, along with the countless pieces of history within. Then, one year later, as experts were in the process of renovating the Gothic beams and arches of Notre-Dame de Paris, a discovery was made amid the piles of ash and debris that can only be described as disturbing.
The Beginning Of The End
On April 15, 2019, everything seemed to be in order at Notre-Dame de Paris. However, that was until the early evening set in. This was when an alarm notified the staff that there was a fire somewhere in the historic cathedral.
After evacuating everyone inside, they rushed to try and put out the fire before it could spread, only to realize that it wasn’t where they thought it was. By the time they pinpointed the location of the fire, it was already beginning to grow out of control.
A Nightmare That Became A Reality
For those in charge of the cathedral, as well as experts and history buffs, this was a situation that they had long feared. With parts of the structure dating all the way back to the twelfth century, the stonework in many of the areas was already incredibly vulnerable.
Up top, a lot of the attic, spire, and oak beams from centuries ago had dried out, making the entire cathedral susceptible to a devastating fire.
There Were Frequent Check-Ups On The Building
By April 2019, the possibility of a fire breaking out was a major concern, to the point that the building was being monitored by fire wardens on several occasions each day.
Unfortunately, all these precautions didn’t stop the fire from breaking out. The cause is believed to have been the result of an electrical issue. For more than three hours, Parisians, and the world, watched as flames burned through the roof of this historic landmark.
Saving Artifacts
As the fire continued to get worse, hundreds of firefighters worked tirelessly in hopes of getting it under control. In the meantime, the emergency services formed a human chain in order to remove any artifacts that they could safely reach from inside of the building.
However, despite the firefighter’s efforts, the fire was too big to handle. By the time the flames were finally extinguished, the once-grand cathedral was a shadow of its former glory.
Seeing The Real Damage
By the time the sun rose the next morning, it showed the severe damage that the fire had done to Notre-Dame. During the blaze, around two-thirds of the cathedral’s roof had been destroyed, and the spire built in the 19th century had completely fallen.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, as the spire fell, it pierced the ceiling of the vault below, which exposed the building’s interior to the fire. It truly was a disaster.
Breaking News
As the citizens of Paris grieved for the loss of one of the city’s greatest structures, news outlets around the world broke the news about the destruction of such an iconic cathedral.
Across the globe, reporters scrambled to find out as many details as they could about what had started the fire, the number of artifacts that were lost, and just how bad the damage truly was. During this time, many people were still in shock that such a travesty could happen.
The Cathedral Held Some Of Christianity’s Greatest Artifacts
Considering that Notre-Dame is one of the most well-known places of worship for the Christian faith, it’s no surprise that it held some of the religion’s greatest artifacts.
At the time of the fire, the cathedral supposedly housed the crown of thorns worn by Jesus Christ, as well as a piece of the ancient wood that is said to have come from the cross that Jesus was crucified on.
More Than Just Religious Relics
Although the relics inside the cathedral are incredibly important to millions of people around the world, they weren’t the only things that people were concerned about. Inside the cathedral, there was also Notre-Dame’s 18th-century organ that is so impressive, musicians have to register years in advance for a chance to play it.
On top of that, there are also the countless statues, some dating back to the 1300s, and the Mays paintings, that were gifted to the cathedral between 1630 and 1700.
There Was A Silver Lining
Although the burning of the church was devastating to the world, the worst-case scenario never happened. Incredibly, some of Notre-Dame’s most famous pieces of art weren’t even in the building when the fire broke out.
Toward the end of 2018, there was repair work taking place at the cathedral. As a result, a number of items had been taken out in order to prevent damage and ensure their safekeeping until they could be securely returned.
An Ancient Graveyard Discovery With A Sealed Sarcophagus
In March 2022, while crews were working to repair the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral, workers made an incredible discovery on the site. According to Smithsonian, a sealed sarcophagus made of lead was found buried below the central nave.
No one expected to find the human-shaped sarcophagus that had been buried under the church’s stony layer, which dates back to the 18th century. However, according to Daily Beast, the perfectly mummified sarcophagus could be from the 14th century and is likely the mummy of a senior dignitary.