To the questions that reach the cathedral’s rectorate —mainly through the Welcome and Visitor Service— we sometimes respond with images. The topics vary and occasionally highlight unexpected aspects of the cathedral…
That a wooden framework burns and a lead roof melts is easy enough to understand. But in 1836, did the bells also… “burn”?
During the fire in the belfry, the bells inevitably shattered as they fell —rendering them unusable.
On August 3, 1836, the municipal council passed a resolution to mint a medal in recognition of Prefect Gabriel Delessert, who personally led the fight against the fire. The bronze from the bells was used for this purpose, as stated on the medal itself.
However, some fragments —those whose composition had been more severely altered by the heat— were given to private individuals.