Paris-Secrets of Notre Dame de Paris-The
new Vandals
On
12th of April 1982, when several hundreds of tourists were visiting
the cathedral, a fire started under a
revue holder at the south entrance of Notre Dame. Less than 5 meters of the
fireside more than a ton of candles were stored, enough to provoke a major
catastrophe. Luckily the fire was circumscribed quickly. But it was not an
accidental fire but a criminal one: several witnesses had seen two young guys
fleeing at the beginning of the fire.
More recently, in October 1998, a vandal took advantage of the scaffolding on
the occidental façade (placed for renovation works) to climb to Saint-Anna
portal, six meters from the ground. He mutilated 5 statues and beheaded a sixth
one, a sculpture of the 13th century.
On
12th of April 1982, when several hundreds of tourists were visiting
the cathedral, a fire started under a
revue holder at the south entrance of Notre Dame. Less than 5 meters of the
fireside more than a ton of candles were stored, enough to provoke a major
catastrophe. Luckily the fire was circumscribed quickly. But it was not an
accidental fire but a criminal one: several witnesses had seen two young guys
fleeing at the beginning of the fire.