Je t'aime Notre Dame

Hundreds of Parisians gathered together and sang as they watched the Notre Dame Cathedral being engulfed by flames on Monday in Paris. Beloved cathedral known to many from Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, “Notre-Dame de Paris,” published in English as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Notre Dame Cathedral survived 1790’s French Revolution.

The cathedral name means Our Lady and is the seat of the archbishop of Paris. It was built on a small island called the Île de la Cité, in the middle of the Seine. Construction began in 1163, during the reign of King Louis VII, and was completed in 1345. It is considered a jewel of medieval Gothic architecture.

Here are the historical events that took place at the Cathedral

Henry VI of England was crowned king of France inside Notre-Dame in 1431.

Napoleon Bonaparte, was crowned emperor there in 1804.

In 1909, Joan of Arc, who had helped France battle the English and was burned at the stake centuries earlier, was beatified in the cathedral by Pope Pius X.

It’s hard to believe that today marks the day we lose the landmark admired by people from all over the world.

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As many others I’m in deep shock and sadness to witness the beauty of Notre-Dame turn into smoke. I love you Paris. Comme beaucoup d’autres, c’est avec effroi et tristesse que je regarde la beauté de Norte-Dame partir en fumée... Paris, je t’aime ! #notredame #paris

A post shared by Salma Hayek Pinault (@salmahayek) on Apr 15, 2019 at 2:50pm PDT

I’m weeping. Our gift of light. Notre Dame on fire. My heart is breaking. My grandmother’s and mother’s heart home.

— Laura Dern (@LauraDern) April 15, 2019

Feel profoundly sad about this... so much lost in a few seconds ... I am praying (which I don’t do often) for the fire to be contained soon .... utterly heartbreaking https://t.co/VnRPHdHOFs

— Ellie Goulding (@elliegoulding) April 15, 2019

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Notre Dame 💔🇫🇷SO SAD

A post shared by Naomi Campbell (@naomi) on Apr 15, 2019 at 2:08pm PDT

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🙏🙏🙏 for PARIS💔.our heart is burning. 🙏🙏🙏for Notre Dame. 🙏🙏🙏for our LADY, full of grace💔born in 1163, she is PARIS 💔#prayfornotredame

A post shared by Carine Roitfeld (@carineroitfeld) on Apr 15, 2019 at 3:25pm PDT

Feel profoundly sad about this... so much lost in a few seconds ... I am praying (which I don’t do often) for the fire to be contained soon .... utterly heartbreaking https://t.co/VnRPHdHOFs

— Ellie Goulding (@elliegoulding) April 15, 2019

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Sad day. Thinking of this historic landmark today. Many of these wooden structures are nearly 1,000 years old. The spire itself only dates from the 19th century. #notredamefire #paris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #notredamedeparis #history #thehunchbackofnotredame

A post shared by Giulia Juliet Belkin (@talesofbelkin) on Apr 15, 2019 at 11:36am PDT

Having just escaped from a fire I know how terrifying and ghastly it can be. Our hearts are with #Paris #NotreDame 💔

— Joan Collins (@Joancollinsdbe) April 15, 2019

my heart is breaking seeing the fire at notre dame. I’ll never forget walking in the first time in Paris and being in awe of the beauty of it. 💔

— camila (@Camila_Cabello) April 15, 2019