News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on The Notre Dame fire and the future of history. Parent comment

Re:The Notre Dame fire and the future of history by hyperbovine on Tuesday April 16, 2019 @11:55AM (#19674737)
The Basilica of St. Paul's in Rome (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Saint_Paul_Outside...) has a very similar story. It's even older than Notre Dame (4th century) and was burned nearly to the ground in 1823 by, wait for it, an accident involving a worker repairing the roof. The church was rebuilt using contemporary methods and today it's regarded as a treasure.

I foresee a similar thing happening here. A 1000-year old roof is an architectural treasure, but it's also a 1000-year old roof, with all its attendant challenges. The church will (someday) be rebuilt in a grand old classical style, but with a soupçon of modernity added as well. I think will be in some sense better off as a result.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Notre Dame fire and the future of history by hrktb on Tuesday April 16, 2019 @12:00PM (#19674799)
An alternative approach is to rebuild a replica while keeping the original sealed (non visitable)

It has been done for prehistoric caves for instance. For a whole building it's more tricky, but it could be fine to have it on a remote part of the city, and let people experience it as it was before.

That would also allow to do representation or over more risky uses that could damage the historical monument but would be fine in a replica.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Notre Dame fire and the future of history by iguy on Tuesday April 16, 2019 @01:53PM (#19675740)
But for caves this is easy, you just add a door. Notre Dame is the grand centerpiece around which Paris has been built and re-built. There is no way it's going to be encased in a warehouse with bus tours to a replica somewhere.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Notre Dame fire and the future of history by pyrale on Tuesday April 16, 2019 @01:51PM (#19675725)
What is the point of preserving it if no one can visit it ?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Notre Dame fire and the future of history by hrktb on Tuesday April 16, 2019 @02:51PM (#19676236)
The same applies to painting replicas, and I think most people don’t mind if the original is kept for preservation and near perfect replicas are exposed/sold for viewing purpose in comfortable conditions.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Notre Dame fire and the future of history by jacquesm on Tuesday April 16, 2019 @01:06PM (#19675345)
You can keep it 'non visitable' but it will need a roof of sorts. The quickest way to get rid of any building is to open it up to the weather.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Notre Dame fire and the future of history by logfromblammo on Tuesday April 16, 2019 @01:58PM (#19675784)
Like a human, a building standing in bad weather prefers to have a broad waterproof hat, a windproof coat, and dry boots.

Which is to say a roof without leaks, walls without holes, and a foundation with good drainage.

[ Parent | on HN ]