Concerning the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris
On Monday 15 April 2019, shortly before 19.00 hrs, a devastating fire broke out in the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, leading to unbelievable and irrecoverable losses during the night. A statement by the Institute for Historic Building Research and Conservation.
"It was with great sadness and dismay that we received the news of the destruction by fire of one of the most important historical roofs, that of the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris. Historical roof constructions made of wood are little embodied in the collective awareness and usually not accessible to the public. Nevertheless, they are one of the most important testimonies and sources to the history of architecture in general, as they can be dated precisely using scientific methods such as dendrochronology, on the one hand, and on the other hand offer an insight into the development of the constructive possibilities of carpenters (wind loads). Particularly in Gothic architecture, the high and steep roof forms an essential component of the external appearance. The incident in Paris shows how important the continuous research and documentation of historical wooden constructions is."
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan M. Holzer