Watching Notre-Dame Cathedral burn on Monday was heartrending.
Visiting that hallowed and gorgeous place was a highpoint of my life,
literally giving me chills and moving me to tears.
I can't imagine what this loss must mean to the people of Paris.
I thought I'd share a few photos I took of Notre-Dame.
Notre-Dame de Paris
(Our Lady of Paris)
Located on Île de la Cité (City Island) Paris, France
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
The Western Facade
And It's Three Portals
Left: The Virgin Portal
Middle: The Last Judgment Portal
Right: The St. Anne Portal
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
The Archivolts or Heavenly Court
The Right Side of the Last Judgement Portal
The lower portion shows Hell with a devil
crushing the damned souls of a rich man, a bishop, and a king.
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Gargoyles
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
The Interior
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
One of the Cathedral's Lovely Stained Glass Windows
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
The Vault of the Cathedral
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
The Blessed Virgin and Child Jesus
Sculptor: Antoine Antoine Vassé
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
The Interior
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
A Moving Memorial
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
The High Altar
Descent from the Cross
Sculptor: Nicolas Coustou
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Construction Began in 1163
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
The Cathedral's Massive Organ
Reconstructed by François Thierry in the 1730s
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
The Slaughter of the Innocents and the Flight into Egypt
Carved on the Back of the Choir Stalls
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
The South Rose Window
Notre-Dame de Paris
May 26, 2014
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
It is simply unbelievable that Notre-Dame has suffered such destruction.
I hope to visit it again when it is restored.
Till next time ~
Fundy Blue
Donnie and Me
Sisters are the best!
Sisters are the best!
On Margaret's Justice
between Long and Brier Islands,
Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, Canada
July 31, 2018
between Long and Brier Islands,
Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, Canada
July 31, 2018
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
It was heartbreaking to watch, especially when the spiral fell. It's a shame it burned for two hours before any water was put on it. The alter survived though and it's wonderful how many have donated to rebuild it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday, Diane! Yes, it is wonderful how many have donated to rebuild the cathedral. I will be making one myself. The photo of the light shining on the golden cross above the high altar after the destruction is one I'll never forget. People can accomplish amazing things when they are motivated, and I believe this beautiful place will be rebuilt. Wishing you a great weekend!
DeleteI was not aware of the WW2 memorial in the Cathedral. Wow!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing this was built by hand, many hands, from plans scrawled on simple paper?
To me, seeing the memorial was a powerful experience. Too many members of my family over the generations have been maimed and or killed in war. The feeling of the gratitude of the French people was what brought tears to my eyes. The awe-inspiring, holy, and vast spaces inside Notre-Dame are almost overwhelming, but poppies and all that they symbolize I can grasp on a very real and human level. To think that this memorial hangs in the spiritual and cultural heart of Paris fills me with gratitude and love. It acknowledges the horrors of war and its costs in blood and bone. Have a lovely weekend, Sandi!
DeleteThanks for sharing your wonderful photos with us, Louise! I enjoyed seeing them all.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debra! I'm glad that you enjoyed them!
DeleteBeautiful photos,and they show a lot more of that amazing beauty than we saw on our TV. The words, the sculptures, but the stained glass, I could not pick a favourite, all so intricate and meaningful. Yes, it will be restored, over many years maybe, but for all those in France, this means so much, and for those, like you, who have visited, so sad to see all the destruction. Have a wonderful Easter up North.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to you and Hugh, Jean! I hope you have a relaxing and joyful day. It seems odd to me to think of Easter in the fall.
DeleteI especially loved the cathedral for its beautiful soaring lines that pulled my eyes heavenward. It wasn't a cluttered, gilded, over-the-top space, rather a clean, spare vault of arching stone that spoke to this geologist's heart! I will never forget the sight of those flames, nor my surprise and relief at how much has survived.
April 15th was my birthday, I had taken that day off and after we got back home from a lovely hike, we saw the news that Notre Dame was on fire. Little old me in Georgia who has never set foot in France felt a very strong heart wrenching pain over this!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your photos, I really liked seeing them. xx
Happy Birthday, Kay! A hike on your birthday sounds perfect! I think millions of people around the world felt that "very strong heart wrenching pain." The French people have been through a lot in recent years. It is my deep hope that I will return to France to see a restored Notre-Dame de Paris. I hope that you and Richard have a lovely and meaningful Easter! XOX
DeleteGoes to show that no building is eternal. I'm rather shocked its survived this long, I suppose Westminster Abbey could have a similar fate unless they spend lots of dough on upkeep throughout the decades.
ReplyDeleteI do find it odd that Rome doesn't seem to want to use any of their funds for it, considering how important it is to Catholics. Seems the restoration came mostly from French billionaires.
Hi, Adam! I'm wondering how many of our modern buildings would last as long. I, too, am surprised that I haven't heard much about Rome helping out.
DeleteThe spirit, the soul, the articulated light through magnificent windows cannot be undone. The message of peace --of compassion and love-- the awesome edifice of faith cannot be undone. So long as even the foundation exists, it can be rebuilt.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, Geo! You found the words I was struggling to articulate. I call myself a writer, but sometimes the only way I can express myself is through the images I create. Writing for me is a slow process. Creating an image is much faster. I do edit, because I work only with a simple point and shoot Canon, and I think it is my responsibility to make the best image I can to highlight what I feel is the essence of the photo. Boy ~ I hadn't planned to go here with my comment! LOL I am always in awe of how you write, the range and challenge of your topics, and your variety of voices. I love your doodles and sketches, and I truly appreciate how Norma captures so much meaning in her everyday life with her wonderful Normaphotos. I'm intense and energetic, so I haven't lured an E(a)nest into my life. I'm not sure who is more frenetic, a squirrel gathering nuts, or me chasing it trying to gather its photo. I appreciate your friendship and your wise and omnivorous view of the world. Have a good day, my friend!
Deletethis is soul filling post dear Louise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletewhat a majestic place with how powerfully displayed by it's magnificence and message of love and peace
fire cannot take away the glory of message the building held for years !
the eternity of it's subjectivity will remain undefeated i believe
i hope that renovation will bring it back with more significance,and i hope i will be able to see this marvelous cathedral standing with same elegance whenever i will visit there
Hi, dear Baili! Thank you for your insightful words. They are comforting and hopeful for me; and I agree with you in that Notre-Dame's message of love, peace, and holiness will remain undefeated. I am powerfully moved by how humankind around the world and throughout time expresses its yearning for God and its faith in him. I hope that you will be able to visit Paris and its iconic cathedral at some point in your life. I, too, hope to return and see it again one day. Hugs to you!!!
DeleteIt hurt my heart.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
It hurt my heart, too, Janie!
DeleteIt was one of my favorite stops in Paris. I don't think it matters what your faith is, the whole world mourned while watching it burn. I do hope it will be just as beautiful once it is repaired. I'd also love to go back then and have another look. You took some beautiful photos. I am sure you treasure them all that much more now.
ReplyDeleteI do treasure my photos, Theresa. My heart hurts every time I look at them. But I believe Notre-Dame will stand again, and I think people will be able to visit parts of it during the reconstruction ~ So, I'll go, just in case I'm not around for the finish. I hope you enjoyed Easter with your family!
DeleteAwesome photo's. Have never been to Paris yet been to many places in the US.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Happy Tuesday, Yvonne! It's nice to see you back! I've just been to Paris once, but I'd love to go back. It's funny how people tend to visit far away places and not get to some nearby. We're planning to move from Colorado, and there are things and places in our state that I'm regretting not visiting.
DeleteHeartbreaking for sure. I'm glad they will restore it, but it will never be the same.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are so beautiful of this precious place.
Teresa
Thanks, Teresa! Certainly the 1300 oak beams forming the wooden vault will be difficult to replace, because there are far fewer hardwood forests now than in the 1160s. I'm holding out hope that the French will do an excellent restoration, hopefully in my lifetime! I hope that you had a lovely Easter. All the best to you!
DeleteSure got lots of great shots indeed. Yeah, it was awful to watch it burn indeed, but at least a lot of things that people cherish survived and buildings can always be rebuilt, maybe better, maybe not, but a lot better than lives lost.
ReplyDelete