Title
German shellfire during the opening engagements.
Caption
German shellfire during the opening engagements of the First World War on 20 September 1914 burned, damaged and destroyed important parts of the cathedral. Scaffolding around the north tower caught fire, spreading the blaze to all parts of the carpentry superstructure. The lead of the roofs melted and poured through the stone gargoyles, destroying in turn the bishop's palace. Images of the cathedral in ruins were used during the war as propaganda images by the French against the Germans and their deliberate destruction of buildings rich in national and cultural heritage
Date
1914
Credit line
Photo12/Ann Ronan Picture Library
Reference
ARP18A02_325
License type
Rights managed
Available size
31,0Mb (1,4Mb) / 13,7in x 8,8in / 4098 x 2646 (300dpi)