Everything you need to know about Notre Dame fire!

Notre Dame, the 850-year-old cathedral and emblem of Parisian identity, has withstood world wars, revolutions, and acid rain. On Monday, it burned. Parisians watched aghast as the building’s 300-foot spire, engulfed in flames, tumbled down onto its wooden roof, much of which collapsed. No one knows exactly how the fire started, but officials suspect the flames were likely sparked in connection with $6.8 million in much-needed renovations of the church. French officials told the press they were investigating the fire as an accident. But that hasn’t kept misinformation and conspiracies from flourishing across social media. Credit: Geoffroy van der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images The main structure of the church is intact, thanks to 400 firefighters who spent nine hours dousing the flames. And no one died, although one firefighter was reportedly injured. And some of the church’s most well-recognized features survived. The two bell towers are still standing. A trio of priceless stained-glass windows didn’t shatter. And much of the priceless art that was stored in the church was carried out and saved, including the crown of thorns that Jesus supposedly wore during his crucifixion. The cathedral’s organ, one of the largest in the world, also survived the fire. Credit: Chesnot/Getty Images French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild in 5 years, and he’s got help from some very rich people to do it. The total pledged donations so far — from French fashion magnates, L’Oréal, and other billionaires and citizens — have already hit nearly $770 million. The church was badly in need of restoration, the result of decades of neglect and an awkward arrangement between the French government and the Catholic Church that complicated who should foot the bill. It took a tragic fire to draw the billionaires and their cash out of the woodwork.