Apart from this--by far the worst damage--and the partial destruction
by fire of the Cathedral of St. Peter no other losses of extraordinary
importance took place at Louvain.
The Rathaus, or City Hall, in late Gothic style, under reconstruction
for several years and on which work has not been finished yet, was
saved, thanks to the orders of the commander, Major von Manteuffel, who
ordered that the burning houses on the right side of the City Hall be
leveled to the ground. The military removed from a cellar of the City
Hall a quantity of ammunition which threatened to explode through
extreme heat of the fire. Four soldiers were severely injured thereby.
The Rathaus, thanks to the precautions taken by the German military, and
in spite of its nearness to the conflagration, was not damaged in the
interior, nor did its rich outer architecture suffer any at all.
The roof of the Cathedral of St. Peter, which was set afire by sparks
from adjoining buildings, was very considerably damaged, however only to
such an extent as to allow its restoration to the original condition.
The roof frame is burned to the beginning of the curve of the dome. The
inner ceiling has prevented the fire from spreading to the inner part of
the church, containing rich art treasures.
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