# Is there an American monument that would provoke the same reaction as the Notre Dame fire? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2019, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617 "2019-04-16T08:15:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/1 "2019-04-16T08:15:19Z")
Seeing a lot of news coverage on the Notre Dame fire over the course of the day what got me the most was the various Parisian residents exclaiming how they found Notre Dame as the symbol of Paris (not the Eiffel Tower) and some were genuinely crying at it’s loss. Now I’m curious, is there anything in the United States that would be seen as a devastating loss if it was completely destroyed as part of a disaster, even if it was only regionally? What would make people cry over its loss in terms of historicity or symbolism? All I can literally think of is the Alamo if it got completely leveled by a natural disaster, granted that would only be Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/2 "2019-04-16T08:35:47Z")
The WTC comes to mind… The White House. The Capitol Building. Smithsonian. Statue of Liberty. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/3 "2019-04-16T09:07:12Z")
The Lincoln Memorial. Brooklyn Bridge or the Golden Gate Bridge (beyond the obvious impact on traffic). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/4 "2019-04-16T09:30:19Z")
Mt. Vernon? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/5 "2019-04-16T09:30:37Z")
My brain went directly to Lincoln Memorial; the original WTC certainly did the trick (I say the original because there are many places by the same name, all of which were inspired by the one in NYC). The Statue of Liberty and the bridges are certainly very strong contenders. While the Smithsonian is, I’m sure, supermegainteresting, it’s not something most foreigners would recognize (I just realized I had no idea what it looks like and took a peek… ok, pretty red brick building but… nope, I wouldn’t have been able to pick it out of a lineup). And any American building that’s inspired by greco-roman architecture and Not Lincoln Memorial is… just… not particularly inspiring. It makes sense that seeing the White House blown up would be devastating for an American, but for foreigners it’s not particularly representative of “the US”. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/6 "2019-04-16T09:31:04Z")
More than anything else, the Statue of Liberty. #2 would be the Lincoln Memorial. ---
**Author:** ![Royal\_Nonesutch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@Royal\_Nonesutch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Royal_Nonesutch)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/7 "2019-04-16T09:51:38Z")
The Statue of Liberty is an iconic sight and symbol for the world, not just for Americans. Nothing else in the USA would have the devastating symbolic impact of seeing it destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/8 "2019-04-16T10:26:36Z")
I don’t know if there’s anything in the US really that would carry that same impact. It’s not just the scale but the history behind it. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/9 "2019-04-16T11:32:27Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I don’t know if there’s anything in the US really that would carry that same impact. It’s not just the scale but the history behind it. If you’re looking for history, then maybe the Liberty Bell? But otherwise the most iconic symbolic structure in the US is the Statue of Liberty. Following that, I’d go with the Washington Monument, the White House, Congress, and then the Lincoln Memorial. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/10 "2019-04-16T11:49:23Z")
If the Rotunda at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. burned down and destroyed the Constitution, I think there would be quite a reaction. Any of the Smithsonian Museums as well. There is a lot of irreplaceable stuff in those museums. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/11 "2019-04-16T11:55:24Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > Following that, I’d go with the Washington Monument, the White House, Congress, and then the Lincoln Memorial. I don’t think anyone would care much about the Washington Monument. It seems like something that could be rebuilt exactly and nobody would care much. On the other hand, I think the destruction of Mount Rushmore would be a pretty big loss though. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/12 "2019-04-16T12:07:52Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I don’t know if there’s anything in the US really that would carry that same impact. It’s not just the scale but the history behind it. I’m with asahi on this one. We’d certainly mourn the loss of the Statue of Liberty, the Lincoln Memorial, or White House but none of them carry the same cultural baggage that 850 years of existence brings with it. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/13 "2019-04-16T12:09:15Z")
The Salt Lake City Mormon temple would do it for the Mormons. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/14 "2019-04-16T12:24:53Z")
Statue of Liberty. Then maybe the Capitol and the White House. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/15 "2019-04-16T13:15:18Z")
Eh, maybe. But you couldn’t really take out, say, the Lincoln Memorial, with any less than a bomb. In either case, I’m sure it would be rebuilt in short order. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/16 "2019-04-16T13:25:27Z")
Nothing in the U.S. really compares. The Statue of Liberty? Paris has an equally iconic structure designed by the same guy but locals consider the Eiffel Tower second rate compared to Notre Dame. It has been depicted in notable artwork and literature for 800 years. It is the most prominent center of worship for the majority religion in the country (even if the country is becoming more secular). It is a central part of the city’s civic life. Last time I was in Paris, I stumbled onto a major bread baking festival and there were thousands of Parisians just eating bread outside the cathedral with cheese and charcuterie. It’s been the site of political protests and changes in government. We have no single site that has the iconic notoriety, historical importance, and religious significance of Notre Dame. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/17 "2019-04-16T13:28:36Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I don’t know if there’s anything in the US really that would carry that same impact. It’s not just the scale but the history behind it. I think I agree with this. The Statue of Liberty is probably close in symbolism, but it doesn’t have all the irreplaceable art and relics that Notre Dame did, not to mention the 800+ years of history. The Smithsonian has the art and artifacts, and it would be a staggering loss, but I don’t think it carries the same weight as a symbol of the nation. The White House is probably close, but I doubt that most Americans have the same emotional connection to it as the French do to Notre Dame. Sure, it has history and art, but – I dunno – it doesn’t seem to loom so large in our cultural identity. ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/18 "2019-04-16T14:00:59Z")
The immaculate reception statue at the Pittsburgh airport. All kidding aside, I think the complete destruction of the capitol would have the most impact. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/19 "2019-04-16T14:04:59Z")
That reminded me of the gnashing of teeth amongst all tasteless megachurch attendees upon the loss of [Touchdown Jesus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Kings_(statue)#/media/File:King_of_Kings_statue,_Solid_Rock_Church,_2008.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617/20 "2019-04-16T14:08:02Z")
I agree with those that say there isn’t anything. Too little history around here. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-american-monument-that-would-provoke-the-same-reaction-as-the-notre-dame-fire/832617.md?page=2)