A religious historian says the fire which has gutted the famous Notre Dame Cathedral is devastating. 

The famous Paris cathedral has been virtually destroyed in a massive blaze - its roof and spire have collapsed and firefighters have been struggling to contain the flames.

The church's roof and iconic steeple have collapsed, and the rest of the church and the treasures inside it remain under threat.

Villa Nova University religious historian, Massimo Faggioli, told Mike Yardley a lot of history may be lost. 

"It is a great loss because in the history of European Christianity and Western Christianity, Paris and France are second only to Rome and the Vatican. French Catholicism was called for many centuries the eldest daughter of the church. So this is not just any cathedral, it is really second only to the Vatican."

Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, it is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages as well as one of the most beloved structures in the world.

Faggioli said it has been played a hugely important role in French history. 

"It was given as a gift to King Louis IX. The cathedral went through the Reformation and the wars of religion in the 16th century, the French Revolution, the revolutions of the 19th century, World War II, it is a great stage, not just for French Catholics but for French history."