After standing tall for 856 years as a monument to Heaven, the 65 million French citizens had no fear of having to witness Notre Dame Cathedral crumble. Yet, on April 15th, the beginning of one of the holiest weeks of the year, Easter week, the unspeakable occured: Notre Dame began burning.

  Nearly three years ago, my family visited Paris, becoming one of the 14 million annual travelers to visit Notre Dame. Our apartment was feet from the Seine River. We watched the majesty of Notre Dame from our black metal balcony with baskets of orange marigolds while listening to screaming about the World Cup from the Canadian Sports Bar downstairs.

  That July, heat radiated from the cobblestone sidewalks even as we ducked under multicolor awnings to find shade.  Despite the heat, we carried around mugs of hot chocolate, tasting like it came straight from Willy Wonka’s chocolate river. Making our way towards the towering Cathedral, we watched as a bride posed for pictures in front of the massive archways, dwarfing the ancient stone courtyard leading towards Notre Dame.   

  Entering the Cathedral felt like diving under water. It was an escape from reality. An ominous cool chill and the smell of burning candles encased us as we entered. The massive white stone arched ceilings absorbed any conversations creating an eerie silence in the face of massive amounts of people.

Despite the cathedral being at capacity, it felt anything but full. Detailed pillars and hand carved archways lined the balconies, causing tourists to stop in awe of the work put into the ancient structure. My sister and I added to the towering rings of white candles, the iron spirals looking like the path of a spinning top. Rows and rows of wooden chairs and pews stretched all the way to the front platform, seemingly beckoning guests to duck under the black velvet ropes.

  Other than the candles, the only source of light were the stained glass windows. Vibrant reds, deep purples, prickly greens filtered light onto the worn checkered floors. Tourists stood and gawked at the spiraling floral designs hidden in the stained glass. Artists stayed to sketch the intricate windows for hours on end.

  Notre Dame has been a beloved focal point of Paris for centuries; the spot for millions of families to create memories. When I heard of the burning of Notre Dame, my heart broke as I began to think of the history, of the memories, that would be lost in the fire. The inferno caused Parisians to flood the streets while the world stood united with bated breath, waiting to discover the extent of the damage. Thankfully, the Cathedral is capable of being restored and rebuilt to its former magnificence. Teams are currently being sent into Notre Dame to assess how long and difficult restoration will become in upcoming years.