The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, one of the most visited landmarks in the world, went up in flames on April 15. The French prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, which destroyed much of the roof and caused the main spire to collapse. The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century, was in the midst of renovations, with some sections under scaffolding.
Notre Dame Cathedral Goes Up In Flames

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The two towers of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris as seen from the spire in June 1998.

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Smoke billows as fire engulfs the cathedral on April 15, 2019.

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Notre Dame cathedral in a 1987 photo.

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Smoke and flames spew from Notre Dame Cathedral on April 15, 2019.

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A view of the spire before it collapsed in the blaze on April 15, 2019. The spire was built during a restoration of the cathedral in the 19th century.

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The spire collapses in flames during the blaze on April 15, 2019.

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The cathedral on the island in the River Seine, the Ile de la Cite, is seen in a photo from 1911.

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A nighttime view in 1933.

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U.S. soldiers fill the pews of Notre Dame Cathedral on April 16, 1945, during the GI memorial service for U.S. President Roosevelt. This was less than a year after the liberation of the city during World War II.

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Gargoyles watch over the streets of Paris from the facade of the cathedral in 1996.

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One of the three stained glass "Rose Windows" is seen after the restoration of the cathedral's facade in 1999.

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A view from the interior as the cathedral continued to burn on April 15, 2019.

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The spire collapses in flames during the blaze on April 15, 2019.

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A man watches Notre Dame Cathedral burn on April 15, 2019.

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Flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral on April 15, 2019.

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Firefighters work on the morning of April 16, 2019.

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Fire devastated large parts of the cathedral.