Fire in the world-famous cathedral of Rouen | DW News

A fire on the spire of the Gothic cathedral in Rouen, France, has temporarily revived memories of the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. However, Culture Minister Rachida Dati gave the all-clear Thursday evening after firefighters extinguished the blaze: No major damage had been found in the church, and the "interior and especially the works of art there" had been protected.

The fire at the top of the 19th-century crossing tower had caused large clouds of smoke. The cause of the fire is still unknown, wrote Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol in the online service X. The tower is currently being renovated and had been scaffolded and covered with a white plastic tarp for this purpose.

Rouen Cathedral is one of the masterpieces of Gothic art and was often painted by Claude Monet. The 151-meter spire is made of cast iron. It replaces a wooden predecessor that was struck by lightning in 1822. Until the completion of Cologne Cathedral in 1880, Rouen Cathedral was the tallest building in the world. Renovations began in 2017. Firewalls are also being installed in the roof truss.

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