Factbox-What you need to know about Rouen's Gothic cathedral

View of the spire of the Notre-Dame de Rouen Cathedral after it caught fire during renovation works, in Rouen, France, July 11, 2024. /Kevin Coombs

PARIS - A fire broke out on Thursday in the spire of Rouen's Gothic cathedral where restoration work was underway, recalling a blaze that tore through the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in 2019, collapsing its spire.

Here are five facts about Rouen's cathedral:

* The Notre-Dame de Rouen cathedral is among the best known #Gothic edifices in #France thanks to a series of paintings by the impressionist artist Claude Monet. He painted the monument from different vantage points and at different times of day.

* The cathedral was built and rebuilt over a period of more than 800 years and has features from early Gothic to late Flamboyant and #Renaissance architecture. It is famous for its three towers, each of which were built in a different style.

* In 1822, lightning started a fire that destroyed the wood and lead Renaissance spire of the central tower. The new iron spire was not completed for six decades. It stood at 151 metres (500 feet) and for a short time made the cathedral the world's tallest building.

* The cathedral was partially destroyed by Allied bombardment during World War Two ahead of the Normandy landings. Restoration work was only completed in the 1980s.

* The cathedral's 12th century St. Roman tower houses its bourdon, or largest bell, named Joan of Arc as well as the 64-bell carillon. The #cathedral's bells can be heard from 5 km (three miles) away.

-(Reuters)