Notre Dame Paris fire: A colossal fire swept through the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on Monday, causing a spire to collapse and raising fears over the future of the nearly millenium old building and its precious artworks. The fire, which began in the early evening, sent flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the Paris sky as stunned Parisians and tourists watched on in sheer horror. The cause of the blaze was not immediately confirmed but the cathedral had been undergoing intense restoration work to help the 850-year-old gothic masterpiece better deal with the tests of time. <br /><br /> Here are some facts and figures about the French architectural marvel: 
NAME <br /><br /> Notre Dame de Paris, which means Our Lady of Paris. (Reuters Photo) 
CONSTRUCTION <br /><br /> The building stands on the Île de la Cite, a small island in Paris' Seine River. Construction was begun in 1163, and its two massive towers were finished around 1245, but the building was not completed until the beginning of the 14th century. Its central spire was added in the 19th century. (AP Photo) 
MEASUREMENTS AND DESIGN <br /><br /> The interior of the cathedral is 427 feet by 157 feet (130 meters by 48 meters). The main structure is 211 feet high (64 meters high). The three famed rose windows date to the 13th century. (Reuters Photo) 
FRENCH REVOLUTION <br /><br /> In the wake of the French Revolution, the cathedral was declared a "Temple of Reason" as part of an anticlerical movement. All of the original bells were destroyed, except for one, called Emmanuel and weighing 13 tons. (AP Photo) 
RESTORATION <br /><br /> In 2013, the cathedral celebrated its 850 years with a refurbished organ. Each of the nearly 8,000 pipes, some of which date back to the 18th century, was individually cleaned and returned to its place. Meanwhile, nine new, gargantuan bells replaced the 19th century ones. (Reuters Photo) 
VISITORS <br /><br /> An average of 30,000 people a day visit the cathedral. (AP Photo)
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