What We Lost in Yesterday's Fire: Notre-Dame in Pictures

Throughout the night, the world watched in horror as tragedy unfolded in Paris: the Cathedral of Paris's Virgin Mary, a symbol of European civilization, turned to ashes before our eyes. It seemed that not a single stone would remain from this world architectural treasure.

Firefighters arrived at the scene of the tragedy just 15 minutes after the fire started, but all their efforts appeared futile: the roof was ablaze, the spire cracked and collapsed, and flames destroyed the clocks. Only by mid-night was the fire brought under control.

However, when the perimeter was cleared in the morning and experts were finally able to enter, a miracle happened: the walls and vaults of the great cathedral had not been damaged, and the altar and the altar cross were saved.

The main Christian holy relic — the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion — was in a safe and survived. Paintings were also preserved: they were transported to the City Hall of Paris, after which they will be sent to the Louvre.

The spire of the cathedral, which collapsed yesterday evening and was captured by cameras around the world, is now in the nave of the cathedral. It is scheduled for restoration.

Restoration work on Notre-Dame will begin immediately. The French patrons have already set aside the first 100 million euros for this purpose. The government has announced a national fundraising campaign. Everyone who cares can join the collection.