The fire that tore through the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris on Monday, causing the collapse of its central spire and much of its roof, generated an outpouring of grief in France and around the world as the symbol of French culture and history burned.

President Emmanuel Macron canceled a major speech on the “Yellow Vest” protests that have roiled the country. “Like all of our fellow citizens, I am sad tonight to see this part of us burn,” he said on Twitter.

Thousands of French citizens lined the banks of the Seine, many in tears or unable to speak, watching the flames gut the cathedral, which had survived two world wars intact. In one video that was widely circulated online, a crowd near the cathedral sang a hymn together as the flames rose into the fading evening light. Many more watched on live streams on social media, or on television news.

However they took in the spectacle, the emotions were the same: They were heartbroken.

Sylvie Lacour, who lived near the cathedral for eight years, watched it burn on television from Bordeaux. “The heart of Paris and my country is being gutted by the flames,” she said. “I am devastated.”