Apr 21, 2019 3 min read

Notre Dame calamity showcases fragility of historic monuments he construction of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was largely finished by 1260. Let that sink in for a minute. The cathedral was standing a little more than 300 years before the birth of William Shakespeare, more than 500 years before the Declaration of Independence was written, and more than 700 years before men landed on the moon. That’s particularly remarkable in an era when stadiums and shopping centers that are just a couple of decades old are routinely bulldozed to make way for replacements that are spiffier, glitzier and more attuned to the latest whims of the marketplace. A structure like Notre Dame Cathedral not only provides spiritual uplift, but allows visitors to feel a connection to something that stands outside time and trends, that has endured through centuries and has a tangible connection to events of world-shaking importance. That’s certainly part of the reason why, on Monday, people turned away from their routine activities to watch unsettling images of Notre Dame Cathedral burning. It wasn’t the result of terrorism, like the 9/11 attacks, and thankfully no one was killed, but the sense of deja vu was unavoidable as images of the cathedral’s burning steeple toppling over filled television, computer and phone screens, and it appeared all too likely that the whole structure would be decimated by the inferno. Within hours, though, authorities reported that the cathedral could be saved, though it will take years of sweat and millions of dollars to accomplish. If there’s a lesson to be taken away from this calamity, it’s that our historic sites are fragile, and T O-R EDITORIAL should not be taken for granted. Unless action is taken, other historic buildings could be vulnerable to the same type of devastating blaze. The whole fiasco that is Brexit is already enough to occupy the minds of Britain’s leaders, but reports have indicated that the Palace of Westminster, where the House of Commons and the House of Lords meet, also could be at risk of a fire. Just last year, Brazil’s National Museum was destroyed in a horrible conflagration, reducing many one-of-akind artifacts to ash. And then there are sites that are vulnerable due to conflict or just plain old neglect. The list of World Heritage sites that are in danger compiled by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) includes such diverse locales as Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank; the docklands of Liverpool, England; Everglades National Park in Florida; and Timbuktu in Mali. Development, environmental degradation and militant groups bent on plunder and destruction are among the reasons these, and other sites, are in peril. According to UNESCO, “Many World Heritage properties do not have an established policy, plan or process for reducing risks associated with disasters. As a result, hundreds of sites are critically exposed to potential hazards.” These invaluable sites were here many generations before we got here. It’s up to us to assure they’ll be there for the generations that follow us.