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Universal History Archive / Getty Images
856 to be exact.
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Print Collector / Getty Images
To put that into perspective: That’s hundreds of years of conflicts, invasions, leaders, plagues, crusades, etc.
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Universal History Archive / Getty Images
It was damaged, defaced, and looted during the French Revolution.
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Photo Josse / Getty Images
In the mid-1800s it was underwent 20 years of renovations and was back to form.
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Science & Society Picture Librar / Getty Images
It survived World War I.
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Print Collector / Getty Images
It survived World War II.
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Photo 12 / Getty Images
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Keystone-france / Getty Images
For over 850 years it was a symbol of Paris, of French history, of even world history.
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Alain Jocard / AFP / Getty Images
And then the fire happened.
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Nurphoto / Getty Images
In a few hours, it burnt down.
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Philippe Lopez / AFP / Getty Images
But we have to remember this isn’t the first time something like this has happened in history.
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Thomas Samson / AFP / Getty Images
The Monte Cassino monastery was completely destroyed during World War II — this is what it looked like before war:
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-04/15/16/asset/buzzfeed-prod-web-06/sub-buzz-17878-1555360518-1.jpg)
Bettmann / Bettmann Archive
And this is what it looked like after the war:
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-04/15/16/asset/buzzfeed-prod-web-03/sub-buzz-22918-1555360521-1.jpg)
Fpg / Getty Images
It was rebuilt.
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-04/15/16/asset/buzzfeed-prod-web-01/sub-buzz-26411-1555360519-1.jpg)
Loop Images / Getty Images
The Dresden Frauenkirche in Germany was destroyed during World War II.
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-04/15/16/asset/buzzfeed-prod-web-01/sub-buzz-26443-1555360523-1.jpg)
Picture Alliance / picture alliance via Getty Image
It was rebuilt with new and old stones from the original.
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Eye Ubiquitous / Getty Images
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Bettmann / Bettmann Archive
Basically what happened was an almost unthinkable tragedy.
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-04/15/17/asset/buzzfeed-prod-web-03/sub-buzz-25630-1555362576-1.jpg)
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP / Getty Images
But history is definitely on our side.
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-04/15/17/asset/buzzfeed-prod-web-04/sub-buzz-7003-1555364334-1.jpg)
Kay-paris Fernandes / Getty Images
This wasn’t the first and will certainly not be the last time something like this happens.
As President Obama said: «It’s in our nature to mourn when we see history lost – but it’s also in our nature to rebuild for tomorrow, as strong as we can.»
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This article was originally writing by: BUZZFEED.COM