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Before and after images of Notre Dame reveal what was lost

Alejandro Alvarez | alejandro.alvarez@wtop.com

April 16, 2019, 5:10 AM

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Paris is reeling after an inferno tore through Notre Dame Cathedral late Monday, threatening to incinerate centuries-old architecture and relics at one of the world’s most iconic landmarks.

With the fire out and the smoke clearing, city officials and architects started to assess the damage on Monday.

Though Paris’ fire crews managed to save the bulk of Notre Dame’s structure after a nine-hour fight, there are still fears that delicate stained glass, sculptures and ornate architecture may have been caught in the flames.

See images taken before and after the fire for an idea of what was lost.

Notre Dame, seen from the river Seine before and after a raging blaze destroyed most of the iconic landmark’s roof and central spire on Monday. (Top: Michael McCarthy via Flickr, Bottom: Getty Images/Dan Kitwood)
Top: Michael McCarthy via Flickr, Bottom: Getty Images/Dan Kitwood
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Before and after images of Notre Dame, seen from Paris’ Montparnasse Tower, show damage to the cathedral’s roof and famed stained glass windows. (Top: Getty Images/kruwt, Bottom: AP/Thibault Camus)
Top: Getty Images/kruwt, Bottom: AP/Thibault Camus
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Notre Dame’s rib-like vaulted ceiling is a sight to behold. Monday’s fire appears to have caused a partial collapse, with the first images after the fire showing embers drifting down into the cathedral’s nave from a smoldering hole. (Left: ZQFotography via Flickr, Right: AP/Philippe Wojazer)
Left: ZQFotography via Flickr, Right: AP/Philippe Wojazer
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Damage to the ceiling became more apparent on Tuesday. While French broadcast media report officials found some weaknesses, Notre Dame’s overall structure pulled through — and French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild the cathedral “even more beautifully” within five years. (Left: Pedro Szekely via Flickr, Right: AP/Christophe Petit Tesson)
Left: Pedro Szekely via Flickr, Right: AP/Christophe Petit Tesson
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Ille De La Cite seen from across the river Seine, showing the scale of the damage to Notre Dame’s roof and spire. (Top: Getty Images/olrat, Bottom: AP/Thibault Camus)
Top: Getty Images/olrat, Bottom: AP/Thibault Camus
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Notre Dame Cathedral seen from behind. Much of the wooden roof is gone entirely. (Top: Getty Images/EddieHernandezPhotography, Bottom: Getty Images/Dan Kitwood)
Paris firefighters scrambled to save Notre Dame’s twin bell towers, one of the most iconic parts of the cathedral. While they escaped largely unscathed, the spire, originally rising in the backdrop between the two towers, did not. (Left: Isantilli via Flickr, Right: Getty Images/Dan Kitwood)
Left: Isantilli via Flickr, Right: Getty Images/Dan Kitwood
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Debris covers the floor near Notre Dame’s altar — but the cross still stands. The cathedral’s ancient stone walls appear largely intact in this image, although French media reported the intricate wooden framing near the ceiling did not. (Left: Dennis Jarvis via Flickr, Right: AP/Philippe Wojazer)
Left: Dennis Jarvis via Flickr, Right: AP/Philippe Wojazer
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Although French media reported some works of art had been moved to safety by police and firefighters, fear persists over the survival of Notre Dame’s larger relics. In this photo — one of the first released Tuesday from the cathedral’s interior — a 1723 sculpture known as “Descent from the Cross” appears to be intact. (Left: Aaron Vowels via Flickr, Right: Getty Images/Dan Kitwood)
Left: Aaron Vowels via Flickr, Right: Getty Images/Dan Kitwood
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PHOTOS: Notre Dame Cathedral fire

The iconic spire of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris collapsed in a massive fire on Monday. See photos of the aftermath from inside the landmark.

Alejandro Alvarez

Alejandro Alvarez joined WTOP as a digital journalist and editor in June 2018. He is a reporter and photographer focusing on politics, political activism and international affairs.

alejandro.alvarez@wtop.com

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