Its iconic twin bell towers remained visibly intact as a symbol of hope that from the ashes Notre Dame could be rebuilt after an inferno engulfed the iconic cathedral.
Inside, amidst the rising smoke and rubble, the golden altar cross was seen glowing as firefighters made their way into the fire-ravaged cathedral to survey the damage.
“Notre Dame was destroyed but the soul of France was not,” Michel Aupetit, archbishop of Paris said on RMC radio.
The 12th-century church is home to relics, stained glass and other works of art of incalculable value, and is a leading tourist attraction. Its organ dates to the 1730s and was constructed by Francois Thierry. – READ MORE