The building suffered several misadventures,
with parts collapsing, probably as much of the construction was experimental,
and in 1185 an earthquake destroyed part of the cathedral,
only leaving the Norman west front still visible today.
The cathedral once had a spire, which at the time and for 238 years
made it the tallest building in the world (160 m).
The spire came down in a storm in 1548.