Paris, France, Apr 16, 2019 / 15:21 pm
Following a massive fire that engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday, the church's three iconic rose windows were unharmed, French reports have confirmed.
One of the most recognizable images of the landmark cathedral, the windows are themselves one of Notre Dame's greatest treasures. Rose windows, a hallmark of gothic architecture, arrange hundreds of panes of stained glass within carved stone tracework, fanning out from a central image.
Flames engulfed the roof and spire of the cathedral on April 16, in what officials are currently investigating as an "involuntary fire." Some 400 firefighters battled the blaze for hours before extinguishing it. Authorities are still determining the extent of the damage caused.
When the fire first broke out, there were concerns that the windows had been destroyed, either melted in the heat of the fire or blasted by the water of the fire hoses. Initial reports suggested that at least one of the windows had been ruined or fallen out. However, overnight it became clear that all three windows had made it through the blaze intact.