While the French are determining how to rebuild Notre Dame they might take look at what the Brits did with their World War II bombed out cathedral at Coventry. They decided to go modern and opened the new building in 1962 on the grounds of the old. The ruins of the old church are visible at the bottom right of the photo. The photo itself was taken from the tower and spire of the original church, 600 years old, and still fitted with operating bells (circa 1927). The tower is open to visitors.
i love this building but the situation really isn't applicable to NDdP. First that the original building was largely destroyed. But more importantly the destruction serves as a reminder of the terror of war and memorial to the lives lost.
You could compare it to the incongruously named Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, which has a bit less beauty and stronger message of urging the future citizens to resist militarism.
In Notre Dame, there is nothing to memorialize and no obvious message to be made by doing this. Plus the context around NDdP is much more delicate than what remains around the examples above.
Notre Dame is and will be a symbol of the origins and golden days of French history, particularly as considered against the other tribes of northern Europe that consolidated their territories into various nation states following the dissolution of the Roman Empire. Contemporary architecture seems to have little insight on this largely accepted and complete narrative.
I think while the new Coventry Cathedral has some important and beautiful art work the Cathedral itself looks like a large shoebox with an outsized green industrial gear dropped in the side yard. The shoebox has, itself, developed serious structural issues since its opening in 1962. I wish the Brits had restored their church like the Germans did with the Dresden Frauenkirche. That makes a transcendent statement. At this point the Brits should at least clean the soot and grime off of the tower of the old Coventry Cathedral. With its functioning bell system and being open to all it is not a ruin but maybe the most important part of the Coventry Cathedral.
Jun 3, 19 6:38 am ·
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Coventry Cathedral
While the French are determining how to rebuild Notre Dame they might take look at what the Brits did with their World War II bombed out cathedral at Coventry. They decided to go modern and opened the new building in 1962 on the grounds of the old. The ruins of the old church are visible at the bottom right of the photo. The photo itself was taken from the tower and spire of the original church, 600 years old, and still fitted with operating bells (circa 1927). The tower is open to visitors.
i love this building but the situation really isn't applicable to NDdP. First that the original building was largely destroyed. But more importantly the destruction serves as a reminder of the terror of war and memorial to the lives lost.
You could compare it to the incongruously named Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, which has a bit less beauty and stronger message of urging the future citizens to resist militarism.
In Notre Dame, there is nothing to memorialize and no obvious message to be made by doing this. Plus the context around NDdP is much more delicate than what remains around the examples above.
Notre Dame is and will be a symbol of the origins and golden days of French history, particularly as considered against the other tribes of northern Europe that consolidated their territories into various nation states following the dissolution of the Roman Empire. Contemporary architecture seems to have little insight on this largely accepted and complete narrative.
I think while the new Coventry Cathedral has some important and beautiful art work the Cathedral itself looks like a large shoebox with an outsized green industrial gear dropped in the side yard. The shoebox has, itself, developed serious structural issues since its opening in 1962. I wish the Brits had restored their church like the Germans did with the Dresden Frauenkirche. That makes a transcendent statement. At this point the Brits should at least clean the soot and grime off of the tower of the old Coventry Cathedral. With its functioning bell system and being open to all it is not a ruin but maybe the most important part of the Coventry Cathedral.
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