Crowds of stunned Parisians and tourists - some crying, others offering prayers - watched on in horror in central Paris on Monday evening as flames engulfed the Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Gasps and cries of "Oh my god" erupted at 7:50 pm when the top portion of the church's spire came crashing down into an inferno that has spread to the entire roof.
More gasps came a few seconds later when the rest of the spire collapsed, caught on the cameras of thousands of mobile phones.
"Paris is disfigured. The city will never be like it was before," said Philippe, a communications worker in his mid-30s, who had biked over after being alerted of the fire by a friend.
Flames and smoke rise as the spire of Notre Dame cathedral collapses.
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"I'm a Parisian, my father was a Parisian, my grandfather as well - this was something we brought our sons to see," he said. "I won't be showing this to my son."
The steeple engulfed in flames collapses as the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral burns.
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"It's a tragedy," he added. "If you pray, now is the time to pray."
Onlookers sang liturgical songs such as Hail Mary and Ave Maria, as the inferno raged at the cathedral. Others knelt and prayed.
The cathedral is home to incalculable works of art and is one of the world's most famous tourist attractions.
The main structure of the cathedral and the two bell towers have been saved after hours of fire-fighting, the city's top fire official said.
"We can consider that the main structure of Notre-Dame has been saved and preserved," Paris fire brigade chief Jean-Claude Gallet told reporters outside the cathedral.
