The Notre Dame Cathedral has been an iconic landmark of art, culture, and history in Paris, France for hundreds of years. The cathedral has been featured in several famous novels, such as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and is one of the most visited and beloved landmarks in all of Paris.

Unfortunately, a tragedy recently struck on Monday, April 17th when a blaze broke seemingly out of nowhere, ravaging the spires of the cathedral. It was clear that the fire was accidental but scientists, forensic experts, and reporters alike scratched their heads, wondering on what could have ignited the fire.

After a nine-hour battle, the Parisian fire department was finally able to put out the fire. The department feared at some points that the entire structure would be lost. “If the flames had actually got to the timber frames of the belfries, then we would have lost the cathedral completely because it would have led to a chain reaction of collapse.” said Gabriel Plus, a spokesman for the Parisian fire department.

The shock over the fallen spires and ravaged buildings was felt by more than the Catholics. As a wonder of our world, Europe and America felt the loss of art and culture the fire left behind, and the following Wednesday, cathedrals across France rang their bells for Notre Dame.

Logistically, the renovation of the 150 year-old spires is going to be extremely challenging and left to the best professionals in gothic architecture. However, the french president Emmanuel Macron wants the cathedral rebuilt in five years or less. In a message to the nation, he promised that he and his people would “rebuild this cathedral together.”

Luckily, some of the cathedral’s most famous artifacts and artwork had been preserved, despite the devastating nature of the fire, including the Crown of Thorns, Tunic of Saint Louis, and the rose windows of the cathedral.

Donations toward the restoration of Notre Dame have been great -upwards of 908 million- and Trump has recently promised a personal donation, and empathy across the world has led to pockets of money given to Paris. Despite the devastating loss, the tragedy of the Notre Dame Cathedral is ultimately lined with hope and optimism for the future.