Among the thousands of stunned people who watched as Notre Dame Cathedral burned on Monday was Mat Orangkhadivi of Kansas City, who had just toured the Gothic church.
"It was very sad," Orangkhadivi said. "We were going through, talking about how historic this building was, all of the artifacts that were in it."
Construction began in 1163 in Notre Dame, considered by many to be Europe's greatest cathedral. Its final form was not finished until 1345. It contained some of Christianity's most-prized relics, many of which were saved by firefighters.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Orangkhadivi said he will never forget watching as centuries of history went up in flames.
"You still want to take a trip on the Seine," Sudeikis said. "They start at Notre Dame and end at the Eiffel Tower. I think people will be able to visit the front of the iconic location without any problem."
The cathedral is one of the most-visited attractions in Paris, with roughly 13 million visitors every year.