History History Being one of the oldest and most imposing cathedrals in France, the Notre Dame cathedral Paris's con Read More History One of the most notable monuments in Paris (and in all of Europe for that matter) is the Notre Dame Cathedral. This Catholic treasure is over 800 years old. It is located on a small island called the Ile de la Cite in the middle of river Seine. The building of the cathedral was completed over the course of 200 years; it was started in 1163 during the reign of King Louis VII and was completed in 1345. As is the case with most notable historical monuments, The Notre dame Cathedral Paris has its own share of both the glorious and the tragic historical moments that will forever remain indelible in the mind of people everywhere. Among them is the crowning of Henry VI of England right inside the cathedral in 1431. The Cathedral was at one time in a stage of total disrepair and close to the point of being demolished, but was later saved by Napoleon who himself was crowned Emperor in 1804 inside the Cathedral.

After restoring the Cathedral back to its formal beauty and in the midst of World War II, it was rumoured that the German soldiers might destroy the newly installed stained glass. It was therefore removed and only reinstalled again after the war had ended. The steps were taken because of only one particular archeological glass window called the Rose window which is supposed to be the biggest glass window in the world produced in the 13th century. Discussing the history of the Notre Dame Cathedral Paris would not be complete without discussing the most famous story of the peasant girl, Joan of Arc, who is well documented in the history books of France. She was very brave and claimed that she had visions from God. This poor girl had spiritual and character richness even though she had no material goods. Through her visions and courage, she helped France in the battles against the English troops. While using the wise military tactics of Joan of Arc, the well known heroine, France won many fights against England. She also was a great supporter of the monarchy; she is indirectly the reason why Charles VII was crowned. However, Joan of Arc was captured by the Burundians’, accused of heresy and tragically, she was burned at the stake.

But this was not the end of the brave girl. On the 7 July 1456, Joan of Arc was declared innocent and a martyr. In 1909 she was beatified in the famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris by Pope Pius X. Notre Dame Cathedral which can also be called “our lady” is still in use today by the Roman Catholic Church for Sunday mass and it is the seat of the Archbishop of Paris. A notable and distinct historical artefact which is very popular today is the famous bell that has been redesigned to ring automatically. Any visitor to the bell tower should be prepared to climb the 140 steps staircase, if desirous of seeing the historical bell or have a glimpse of the city of Paris. Also inside the Notre Dame Cathedral, among so many historical artefacts, is the notable 17th century organ with all of its parts still functional. There are also drawings, plans and engravings which showed the old and hidden mysteries of several of the church developments and how the city of Paris came into being.

Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris - TravelChannel.com Photo by Shaun Egan / JWL / Aurora Photos Notre Dame Cathedral Paris, France The Eiffel Tower may be the City of Light’s most popular symbol, but for romantics, nothing says Paris quite like Notre Dame Cathedral. Completed in 1345, the French Gothic structure -- with its famous flying buttresses, gargoyles and church bells -- sits on the Île de la Cité in the River Seine, seemingly rising from the water. Leave your cares behind while floating past on a tour boat, particularly at dusk, with the fading light highlighting the structure’s intricate stonework. Joie de vivre, indeed. Tags Swallow’s Nest, Ukraine Swallow’s Nest, Ukraine This ornate castle stands atop a cliff 130 feet high, on the Crimean peninsula in southern Ukraine. Built between 1911 and 1912, the neo-Gothic structure offers great views of the Black Sea. And while the castle may look a little shaky there on the edge of Aurora Cliff, don’t be fooled -- the castle was strong enough to withstand a 7-magnitude earthquake in 1927.

960 1280 This ornate castle stands atop a cliff 130 feet high, on the Crimean peninsula in southern Ukraine. Built between 1911 and 1912, the neo-Gothic structure offers great views of the Black Sea. And while the castle may look a little shaky there on the edge of Aurora Cliff, don’t be fooled -- the castle was strong enough to withstand a 7-magnitude earthquake in 1927. flickr Positano, Italy Positano, Italy Italy’s Amalfi Coast is home to several towns -- and the village of Positano is arguably its star attraction. Situated on a steep, rocky slope, the town is dotted with colorful stucco buildings that enliven the Mediterranean scene. 960 1280 Italy’s Amalfi Coast is home to several towns -- and the village of Positano is arguably its star attraction. Situated on a steep, rocky slope, the town is dotted with colorful stucco buildings that enliven the Mediterranean scene.

Abdulsalam Haykal, flickr Taktshang Monastery, Bhutan Taktshang Monastery, Bhutan At a dizzying 3,000 feet above Bhutan’s upper Paro Valley, Taktshang Monastery is the most famous Buddhist Himalayan monastery in the South Asian country. It was built in 1692, with subsequent restorations in 1958 and 2005. 960 1280 At a dizzying 3,000 feet above Bhutan’s upper Paro Valley, Taktshang Monastery is the most famous Buddhist Himalayan monastery in the South Asian country. It was built in 1692, with subsequent restorations in 1958 and 2005. Douglas J. McLaughlin, Wikimedia Commons Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany On a rocky hill above the German village of Hohenschwangau stands Neuschwanstein Castle. The 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace was commissioned by the king of the German state of Bavaria Ludwig II.

At an elevation of 2,620 feet, the palace offers amazing views of the Alpine foothills to the south and hilly terrain to the north. 960 1280 On a rocky hill above the German village of Hohenschwangau stands Neuschwanstein Castle. The 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace was commissioned by the king of the German state of Bavaria Ludwig II. At an elevation of 2,620 feet, the palace offers amazing views of the Alpine foothills to the south and hilly terrain to the north. Nite Dan, flickr Bonifacio, Corsica, France Bonifacio, Corsica, France On the southwest tip of the French island of Corsica you’ll find Bonifacio. This ancient fortress town was established in the 12th century by the Republic of Genoa to thwart invasion by the Moors. Here’s a view of the Bonifacio fortress, perched on a limestone plateau overlooking the harbor of the same name. 960 1280 On the southwest tip of the French island of Corsica you’ll find Bonifacio.

This ancient fortress town was established in the 12th century by the Republic of Genoa to thwart invasion by the Moors. Here’s a view of the Bonifacio fortress, perched on a limestone plateau overlooking the harbor of the same name. Antony Stanley, flickr Oia Village, Santorini, Greece Oia Village, Santorini, Greece Small white houses dot the rocky hillside of the Greek village Oia, overlooking the Aegean Sea. The porous volcanic rock upon which the houses stand are the result of a volcanic eruption that occurred during the Minoan period -- about 3,500 years ago. 960 1280 Small white houses dot the rocky hillside of the Greek village Oia, overlooking the Aegean Sea. The porous volcanic rock upon which the houses stand are the result of a volcanic eruption that occurred during the Minoan period -- about 3,500 years ago.

Thinkstock Holy Monastery of Varlaam, Greece Holy Monastery of Varlaam, Greece Perched on a cliff 1,224 feet above central Greece’s Meteora Valley, the Greek Orthodox Holy Monastery of Varlaam stands in tribute to faith -- and engineering precision. Built on natural sandstone rock pillars in 1541, Varlaam is one of 6 similarly constructed monasteries in the region. 960 1280 Perched on a cliff 1,224 feet above central Greece’s Meteora Valley, the Greek Orthodox Holy Monastery of Varlaam stands in tribute to faith -- and engineering precision. Built on natural sandstone rock pillars in 1541, Varlaam is one of 6 similarly constructed monasteries in the region. Dido3, Wikimedia Commons Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia, Spain Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia, Spain The Spanish town of Castellfollit de la Roca is situated on a rocky precipice -- over 164 feet high and more than half a mile long.

The eye-catching terrain is a result of volcanic eruptions that took place thousands of years ago. Once solidified, the lava became the hard rock basalt upon which the town resides today. 960 1280 The Spanish town of Castellfollit de la Roca is situated on a rocky precipice -- over 164 feet high and more than half a mile long. The eye-catching terrain is a result of volcanic eruptions that took place thousands of years ago. Once solidified, the lava became the hard rock basalt upon which the town resides today. Juanito Ricart, flickr Dar Al Hajar, Yemen Dar Al Hajar, Yemen This stone mansion -- known as the “Rock Palace” -- served as a summer retreat for the imam of Yemen in the 1930s (in his day, the country’s equivalent of a president or king). Intricately built on a towering rock, the 5-story structure dates back to 1786. The upper level was added in the 1930s.

960 1280 This stone mansion -- known as the “Rock Palace” -- served as a summer retreat for the imam of Yemen in the 1930s (in his day, the country’s equivalent of a president or king). Intricately built on a towering rock, the 5-story structure dates back to 1786. The upper level was added in the 1930s. Franco Pecchio, flickr Al Deir Monastery, Petra, Jordan Al Deir Monastery, Petra, Jordan The rock-cut architecture of Petra, Jordan, stretches back to the 6th century B.C., yet it remained unknown to the Western world until 1812. Since then, the “rose-red city half as old as time,” as an 1845 poem described it, has become an enviable tourist destination -- described by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the top places to see before you die. Among Petra’s sites is the Al Deir monastery, pictured here.

960 1280 The rock-cut architecture of Petra, Jordan, stretches back to the 6th century B.C., yet it remained unknown to the Western world until 1812. Since then, the “rose-red city half as old as time,” as an 1845 poem described it, has become an enviable tourist destination -- described by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the top places to see before you die. Among Petra’s sites is the Al Deir monastery, pictured here. Dennis Jarvis, flickr Neemrana Fort-Palace, Rajasthan, India Neemrana Fort-Palace, Rajasthan, India Nestled in the foothills of the Aravili mountain range in western India is Neemrana Fort Palace. The 25-acre fort was built in the 15th century, then converted into a luxury hotel about 25 years ago -- with gardens, a pool and an amphitheater on its sweeping grounds. 960 1280 Nestled in the foothills of the Aravili mountain range in western India is Neemrana Fort Palace.

The 25-acre fort was built in the 15th century, then converted into a luxury hotel about 25 years ago -- with gardens, a pool and an amphitheater on its sweeping grounds. Akshay Davis, flickr Xuankong Monastery, China Xuankong Monastery, China Built -- amazingly -- more than 1,500 years ago, the Xuankong Monastery stands more than 246 feet high, on a precipice in China’s Shaxi province. Its remarkable endurance over a millennium is a result of oak crossbeams fitted into holes chiseled into the rock. 960 1280 Built -- amazingly -- more than 1,500 years ago, the Xuankong Monastery stands more than 246 feet high, on a precipice in China’s Shaxi province. Its remarkable endurance over a millennium is a result of oak crossbeams fitted into holes chiseled into the rock.

Brunner Emmanuel, Wikimedia Commons Mont-Saint-Michel, France Mont-Saint-Michel, France Perched on the rocky islet of Mont-Saint-Michel (less than a mile from the Normandy coast) is this 13th-century, Gothic-style Benedictine abbey. Its eye-catching location stands in technical and artistic triumph: For centuries, the abbey’s bay location has been subject to some of the strongest tides in Europe, as high as 39 feet. 960 1280 Perched on the rocky islet of Mont-Saint-Michel (less than a mile from the Normandy coast) is this 13th-century, Gothic-style Benedictine abbey. Its eye-catching location stands in technical and artistic triumph: For centuries, the abbey’s bay location has been subject to some of the strongest tides in Europe, as high as 39 feet. Thinkstock Popa Taungkalat Monastery, Burma Popa Taungkalat Monastery, Burma At more than 2,417 feet high, the vast volcanic plug of Taung Kalat in central Burma is home to this Buddhist monastery.

At the top of the summit, enjoy a panoramic view: the ancient Burmese city of Bagan to the south, a conical peak to the north. 960 1280 At more than 2,417 feet high, the vast volcanic plug of Taung Kalat in central Burma is home to this Buddhist monastery. At the top of the summit, enjoy a panoramic view: the ancient Burmese city of Bagan to the south, a conical peak to the north. Robert Tyabji, flickr Hearst Castle, California Hearst Castle, California At an altitude of 1,600 feet, you’ll find the Hearst Castle in Sam Simeon, CA. The mansion was built in this area of coastal California over a 28-year-period for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. He nicknamed the estate “La Cuesta Encantada (“The Enchanted Hill”) -- you can see why with dramatic views of the surrounding Santa Lucia Mountains and nearby Pacific Ocean. 960 1280 At an altitude of 1,600 feet, you’ll find the Hearst Castle in Sam Simeon, CA.

The mansion was built in this area of coastal California over a 28-year-period for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. He nicknamed the estate “La Cuesta Encantada (“The Enchanted Hill”) -- you can see why with dramatic views of the surrounding Santa Lucia Mountains and nearby Pacific Ocean. Anna Fox, flickr Hanging Houses, Cuenca, Spain Hanging Houses, Cuenca, Spain Tucked into a mountain valley at 8,000 feet you’ll find Cuenca. The town’s most amazing sight is Las Casas Colgadas, or "overhanging houses" -- a row of 14th-century homes a nail-biting distance from Huécar river canyon. 960 1280 Tucked into a mountain valley at 8,000 feet you’ll find Cuenca. The town’s most amazing sight is Las Casas Colgadas, or "overhanging houses" -- a row of 14th-century homes a nail-biting distance from Huécar river canyon. Seine River Seine River Begin your tour of Paris with a stroll along the Seine River.

Explore Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité, 2 small islands linked to the banks of the Seine by a series of bridges. Head to Île de la Cité to see the Notre Dame Cathedral or head east to visit the charming hotels, cozy restaurants and small shops. 960 1280 Begin your tour of Paris with a stroll along the Seine River. Explore Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité, 2 small islands linked to the banks of the Seine by a series of bridges. Head to Île de la Cité to see the Notre Dame Cathedral or head east to visit the charming hotels, cozy restaurants and small shops. Ekaterina Pokrovsky, Istock The Louvre The Louvre Be one of 8 million people who flock to the Louvre each year.

This grand art museum houses 35,000 masterpieces, including the great Venus de Milo, Leonardo da Vinci’s "Mona Lisa," Eugene Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People” and, in the Egyptian wing, “The Seated Scribe.” If it’s your first visit, we recommend taking the introductory guided tour for an overview of the museum’s most famous works. 960 1280 Be one of 8 million people who flock to the Louvre each year. This grand art museum houses 35,000 masterpieces, including the great Venus de Milo, Leonardo da Vinci’s "Mona Lisa," Eugene Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People” and, in the Egyptian wing, “The Seated Scribe.” If it’s your first visit, we recommend taking the introductory guided tour for an overview of the museum’s most famous works. Christophe Lehenaff, Getty Images Moulin Rouge Moulin Rouge Eat dinner and see a show at the Moulin Rouge -- the birthplace of can-can in its modern form. Located in Paris’ Pigalle district, this tourist attraction was co-founded in 1889 by businessmen Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller.

Artists of all stripes soon flocked to the cabaret, including French painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and, in the decades to come, singer Edith Piaf. 960 1280 Eat dinner and see a show at the Moulin Rouge -- the birthplace of can-can in its modern form. Located in Paris’ Pigalle district, this tourist attraction was co-founded in 1889 by businessmen Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller. Artists of all stripes soon flocked to the cabaret, including French painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and, in the decades to come, singer Edith Piaf. Valerie Loiseleux, iStock Palace of Versailles Palace of Versailles Take a day trip outside of Paris and explore the Palace of Versailles. This enormous castle and gardens was once home to 3 generations of French kings and queens, including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the last reigning king and queen of France. See the Hall of Mirrors, the Chapelle Royale, the Grand Trianon, estate of Marie-Antoinette and beautiful gardens. Between April and October, the Musical Fountains Show is worth seeing.

960 1280 Take a day trip outside of Paris and explore the Palace of Versailles. This enormous castle and gardens was once home to 3 generations of French kings and queens, including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the last reigning king and queen of France. See the Hall of Mirrors, the Chapelle Royale, the Grand Trianon, estate of Marie-Antoinette and beautiful gardens. Between April and October, the Musical Fountains Show is worth seeing. VERONICA GARBUTT, Getty Images Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur Basilica Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur Basilica Walk the cobblestone streets of Montmartre and make the steep climb to visit the Sacre Coeur Basilica, also known as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris. The basilica is located at the highest point in the city, making it the perfect place for panoramic views of Paris. 960 1280 Walk the cobblestone streets of Montmartre and make the steep climb to visit the Sacre Coeur Basilica, also known as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris.

The basilica is located at the highest point in the city, making it the perfect place for panoramic views of Paris. DanitaDelimont.com, Getty Images Eiffel Tower Eiffel Tower French engineer Gustave Eiffel spent 2 years trying to erect the Eiffel Tower for the World’s Fair in 1889. And once he did, Parisians were not immediate fans of the metal monument. Today, of course, it has become part of the city’s familiar landscape. We recommend making a stop at the tower at night to see the amazing light show that usually ends at 1 a.m. 960 1280 French engineer Gustave Eiffel spent 2 years trying to erect the Eiffel Tower for the World’s Fair in 1889. And once he did, Parisians were not immediate fans of the metal monument. Today, of course, it has become part of the city’s familiar landscape. We recommend making a stop at the tower at night to see the amazing light show that usually ends at 1 a.m. Steve Lorillere, Getty Images Disneyland Paris Disneyland Paris For tourists looking for some amusement park fun, we recommend visiting Disneyland Paris .

Although the park has been molded to appeal to European tastes (it has plenty of patio seats for outdoor eating), it is still styled similar to the original theme park, with a Main Street U.S.A., Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Discoveryland. 960 1280 For tourists looking for some amusement park fun, we recommend visiting Disneyland Paris . Although the park has been molded to appeal to European tastes (it has plenty of patio seats for outdoor eating), it is still styled similar to the original theme park, with a Main Street U.S.A., Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Discoveryland. Pawel Libera, Getty Images Pont Alexandre III and Grand Palais Pont Alexandre III and Grand Palais Cross over the River Seine, by walking along the ornate Pont Alexandre III bridge, to see Grand Palais. The main exhibition space hosts large-scale shows. Previous must-see art shows included an Edward Hopper retrospective, “Marie Antoinette,” and “Picasso and the Masters.” We suggest you book tickets online before you go. 960 1280 Cross over the River Seine, by walking along the ornate Pont Alexandre III bridge, to see Grand Palais.

The main exhibition space hosts large-scale shows. Previous must-see art shows included an Edward Hopper retrospective, “Marie Antoinette,” and “Picasso and the Masters.” We suggest you book tickets online before you go. Arjan de Jager, iStock Musee d'Orsay Musee d'Orsay For art lovers, we suggest a visit to the Musée d'Orsay. Once a railway station, this museum now holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915. It houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world. Monet, Degas, Renoir and van Gogh are just a few painters whose works are on display at the museum. 960 1280 For art lovers, we suggest a visit to the Musée d'Orsay. Once a railway station, this museum now holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915. It houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world. Monet, Degas, Renoir and van Gogh are just a few painters whose works are on display at the museum.

Atlantide Phototravel, Getty Images Arc de Triomphe Arc de Triomphe One of the most famous monuments in Paris, the Arc de Triomphe honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars. Located in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle -- at the west end of the Champs-Elysees -- the monument has the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its surface. There is a vault beneath the arc that holds the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. 960 1280 One of the most famous monuments in Paris, the Arc de Triomphe honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars. Located in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle -- at the west end of the Champs-Elysees -- the monument has the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its surface. There is a vault beneath the arc that holds the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. Lydia Shalet, iStock Champ-Elysees Champ-Elysees Champs-Elysees is to Paris what Times Square is to New York City.

This famous avenue is a popular destination for shoppers with deep pockets, but shopping isn’t the only reason why people flock to this area. Stop by the statue-lined plaza-terrace at the Place du Trocadero for the city’s best view of the Eiffel Tower. Check out a world-class collection of art from all over Asia at the Musee Guimet. Choose from more than 2 dozen flavors of macaroons at Laduree. 960 1280 Champs-Elysees is to Paris what Times Square is to New York City. This famous avenue is a popular destination for shoppers with deep pockets, but shopping isn’t the only reason why people flock to this area. Stop by the statue-lined plaza-terrace at the Place du Trocadero for the city’s best view of the Eiffel Tower. Check out a world-class collection of art from all over Asia at the Musee Guimet. Choose from more than 2 dozen flavors of macaroons at Laduree.

alxpin, Istock Notre Dame Cathedral Notre Dame Cathedral The bishop of Paris from 1160 to 1196, Maurice de Sully spearheaded the movement to rebuild a cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Located on the Île de la Cité, Notre Dame Cathedral offers guided tours, but the 360-degree views of the city are what’s really amazing and not to be missed. 960 1280 The bishop of Paris from 1160 to 1196, Maurice de Sully spearheaded the movement to rebuild a cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Located on the Île de la Cité, Notre Dame Cathedral offers guided tours, but the 360-degree views of the city are what’s really amazing and not to be missed. gbarm, Istock Palais Garnier Opera House of Paris Palais Garnier Opera House of Paris Built between 1861 and 1875, the Palais Garnier is known for its opulence and architecture, and, most notably, for being the setting for Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel, The Phantom of the Opera.

Palais Garnier does provide unaccompanied tours, which also include a walk through the Paris Opera Library-Museum. Designed by Charles Garnier, this palatial, nearly 2,000-seat opera house is now primarily used for ballet performances. 960 1280 Built between 1861 and 1875, the Palais Garnier is known for its opulence and architecture, and, most notably, for being the setting for Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel, The Phantom of the Opera. Palais Garnier does provide unaccompanied tours, which also include a walk through the Paris Opera Library-Museum. Designed by Charles Garnier, this palatial, nearly 2,000-seat opera house is now primarily used for ballet performances. AlexKozlov, iStock Les Marais Les Marais Les Marais is the cool neighborhood in Paris, with hip boutiques, art galleries, designer hotels and fashion houses.

Although Les Marais is the hub of the city’s gay community, there are numerous must-see attractions here, including Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris, Musee Carnavalet, a museum that shows how Paris has evolved, Musee des Arts et Metiers, Europe’s oldest science museum, and Centre Pompidou, which houses a large public reading library and the National Museum of Modern Art. 960 1280 Les Marais is the cool neighborhood in Paris, with hip boutiques, art galleries, designer hotels and fashion houses. Although Les Marais is the hub of the city’s gay community, there are numerous must-see attractions here, including Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris, Musee Carnavalet, a museum that shows how Paris has evolved, Musee des Arts et Metiers, Europe’s oldest science museum, and Centre Pompidou, which houses a large public reading library and the National Museum of Modern Art. DanitaDelimont.com, Getty Images Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris Notre Dame Cathedral Not the largest cathedral in the world, the Notre-Dame might be the most famous of all cathedrals.

The Gothic masterpiece is located on the Île de la Cité , a small island in the heart of the city. A Religious site Notre Dame de Paris The site of the Notre dame is the cradle of Paris and has always been the religious center of the city. The Celts had their sacred ground here, the Romans built a temple to worship Jupiter. A Christian basilica was built in the sixth century and the last religious structure before the Notre-Dame construction started was a Romanesque church. Construction Bishop Maurice de Sully started the construction in 1163. The Cathedral was to be built in the new Gothic style and had to reflect Paris's status as the capital of the Kingdom France. It was the first cathedral built on a monumental scale and became the prototype for future cathedrals in France, like the cathedrals of Amiens, Chartres or Rheims, just to name the most famous. The Building Gargoyle It took until 1345 before the cathedral was completed, partly because the design was enlarged during construction. The result is an overwhelming building, 128 meters long (420 ft) with two 69 meter tall towers (226 ft).

The spire over the crossing reaches 90 meters (295 ft) and was added in the nineteenth century by Viollet-le-Duc. The Notre-Dame Cathedral has several large rose windows, the northern thirteenth-century window is the most impressive. The massive window has a diameter of 13.1 meter. Gallery of Kings The frontal west facade features three wide portals; above the portals is the Gallery of Kings - 28 statues of Judean Kings - and higher up are the famous gargoyles and grotesques. The spectacular eastern flying buttresses at the east side of the building are 15m wide. Restoration During the Revolution, many of the cathedral's sculptures, gargoyles and interior was removed or demolished. Even the gallery of Kings was severely damaged: the revolutionaries though the statues represented Inside the cathedral French Kings. It wasn't until the nineteenth century before the Cathedral was fully restored thanks in part to the writer Victor Hugo, who with his book 'Notre-Dame de Paris', made the Parisians realise the cathedral was worth restoring. The twenty-year-long restoration was led by a local architect, Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc.

Viollet-le-Duc made drastic, controversial modifications to the building and even added a spire. The cathedral was restored again between 1991 and 2001, this time the historic architecture was carefully preserved. Notre Dame in Pictures Turkey Notre Dame Cathedral is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture and is perhaps the most famous church in the world. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris and work was begun in 1163 and completed in 1345. During the French Revolution, the cathedral was rededicated to the Cult of Reason, and then to the Cult of the Supreme Being and many of the treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or plundered. These photos were taken by myself and by Andrea Jerome during three different trips to Paris. Help Support Matt's Paris Guide Do you enjoy using my site? Have you found it entertaining as well as useful? If so please show your appreciation by booking hotels through the links found on my Hotels Page . The small comission I make on the bookings enable me to keep working and in most cases you won't find them any cheaper by searching elsewhere.

You can also book at Booking.com's Paris Page and they give me a small percentage on each booking. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France - James Hundt, Architect James Hundt, Architect Home → 2014 European Tour →Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France Post navigation Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France Posted on by James Hundt January 13, 2017 Did you know that Victor Hugo had a significant role in the life of Notre-Dame de Paris (as the cathedral is known in French)? Completed in 1345, after 182 years of construction, Notre-Dame de Paris was in a sad state of disrepair in 1831 when Hugo’s novel by the same name (known in English as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame) was published. The publication launched a propaganda campaign that culminated 14 years later in an extensive restoration supervised by architects Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc . Prior to that restoration, little had been done to repair the desecration wrought forty years earlier during the radical phase of the French Revolution, when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed.

Viollet-le-Duc’s restoration philosophy (which seems to have been followed for the recent restoration at Chartres ) was “To restore an edifice is not to maintain it, repair it or remake it, it is to re-establish it in a complete state that may never have existed at a given moment.” (The drawing to the right, by Viollet-le-Duc, shows the facade as it would have looked had the original builders completed the spires as originally designed.) Today, after a second extensive restoration starting in 1990, Notre-Dame de Paris is visited by 13,000,000 people a year and as many as 50,000 in a single day. So I guess it was probably a good thing that I got there late in the day on a cool, rainy Monday afternoon in the end of October. I didn’t have to wait in line for more than ten minutes or so to get in. Notre-Dame’s website refers to all these visitors as visitors and pilgrims. I guess I would say that I was a pilgrim of sorts. I have had etchings, paintings and photos of Notre-Dame de Paris in my office since before I started my business.

As one of the most well-known church buildings in the world, it served as an inspiration to me in my work with churches. I knew that, one day, I would have to go to Paris to “pay homage” to this iconic structure. My first glimpse of Notre-Dame de Paris was on our first evening in Paris. My wife and I had checked into our hotel and had walked down the street to cross the bridge to Île Saint-Louis, where we had dinner reservations. As we started to cross the bridge, I immediately saw the cathedral on my left, its yellow hues intensified by the setting sun and the Seine River providing the perfect foreground. It is appropriate that I should see this monument from the back first, as it on that side where the flying buttresses that helped make Notre Dame so famous are visible. I had hoped to go to evening Mass there but we were so tired out by our trip we decided to put off Mass until Sunday morning. I looked forward to going there sometime in the next few days. I didn’t return to Notre Dame until 2 days later, after returning from our visit to Chartres.

We arrived too late to even be allowed to rent an audio guide so I had to rely on Rick Steves’ guide to Notre Dame, which I had downloaded to my iPhone just in case. Rick describes the space as “…a huge, dark earthly cavern lit with an unearthly light.” When it’s 5:00pm on an overcast October day, there is not much light at all in the side aisles where tourists are allowed – earthly or otherwise – and this magnificent structure seems like a dark, earthly cavern filled with a constant stream of shuffling tourists, stopping only to take a photo or perhaps read one of the display boards set up around the cathedral. Even when I broke through the barricade to sit inside the main body of the church, I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed. I believe that the disappointment has something to do with the design of the cathedral as a double side aisle plan. As you can see from this partial cross section, the double aisle construction results in only the uppermost windows being in the nave of the church. The mid-level windows are set back into the upper gallery and the lowest level windows are two aisles away from the nave. All of this makes it very difficult for natural light to reach the nave.

The one exception to this is at the transept, where full height walls allow for large windows that would bring significant light into the crossing on a sunny day. As the altar is set just at the far edge of the transept, it is only when in the area directly in front of the altar that one can fully experience the heavenly light that was so important to Gothic architects. Of course, Notre-Dame de Paris is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in the world and I am not disputing that fact. I am simply saying that, for this pilgrim, I wish I had a better encounter with the architecture, perhaps something more up close and personal, like this . Upon exiting the cathedral, I did have a little time in the sun to admire the west facade, which has been so magnificently restored. It most certainly is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and a wonder to behold. I even got to hear the famous bells of Notre Dame, which was a wonderful way to conclude my visit. Perhaps the next time I am in Paris, I will try to get there when they open at 8:00 am and attend Mass in the choir, to see if I have a different experience of the space.

If I do, I will be sure to blog about it! Notre Dame (巴黎聖母院) Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris, 1163-1345. The Notre Dame cathedral is one of the famous scenic spots in France. It is located in Cité island in the Seine River, the old center of Paris. Both Cité island and St. Louis island are the oldest parts of Paris, with very early urban histories. Cité island once was the habitation of the French royal families between the 10th and 14th centuries. Archbishop Maurice de Sully founded the Notre Dame cathedral in 1160. Work began on the construction site in 1163, and the work lasted for 182 years. Workers completed the whole building in 1345. Christian churches come in many different styles, depending on what is appreciated during their design and construction. The style of architecture for Notre Dame cathedral is Gothic. The character of the building is tall and slim, which is quite the opposite of the previously dominant style of Romanesque architecture, which shows a feeling of thickness and solid strength in the appearance of buildings.

The tall and slim gothic style exploded in popularity in France during the 12th-14th centuries. Notre Dame is one of the early examples of the style. The stone pillars soar to the roof-vaults inside the cathedral. The roof-vaults are shaped by combined vault ribs which support the building's high ceiling. Gothic architecture gives a sense of space and verticality because of its structure and emphasis on height. The high walls that are not carrying the building’s weight allow large stained glass windows to let in the light. The cathedral looks dignified and beautiful when the sunlight shines through the stained glass. The flying buttress is another special design for outside of the building. In addition to supporting the high wall and roof-vaults, the flying buttresses also function as drainpipes. Notre Dame cathedral represents the masterpiece of Gothic church architecture, along with the cathedrals in Chartres (begun in 1194), Bourges (begun in 1195), Rheims (begun in 1211), and Amiens (begun in 1220).

From the 13th to 15th centuries, French Gothic architecture became a model for church architecture in Europe. There was serious revival of interest in Gothic architecture in the 19th and 20th centuries. Viewing the west side of the Notre Dame cathedral, one can see that the cathedral is built with three layers or levels. The lower level (the ground floor) offers the entrance, which has three gates for visitors to enter the cathedral. This level is the main arcade. Sculptures with figures from the Bible’s stories line up along the front portals before you enter the doorway. These sculptures are carved with delicacy, especially the one standing in front of the middle gate representing the famous Bible story “the Last Judgment”. The middle part of the second layer (the Clerestory, which is separated from the main arcade by The Kings' Gallery) has beautiful large round rose windows. There are three rose windows in Notre Dame. The third level of the cathedral is made by the towers. Visitors can view the scene of Paris if they climb 376 steps up in the south tower. There is a 15 ton bell hanging in the south tower which was made in 1868.

The French classic author Victor Hugo (1802-1885) wrote The Hunchback of Notre Dame in which he used the background of Paris and the Notre Dame cathedral for a setting. In 1996 the Disney studios made a film loosely based on this story featuring innovative three-dimensional animation of cathedral architecture. Cathedral of Notre Dame, Information, Tips and History Owners - Propriétaires Cathedral of Notre Dame One of Paris' most enchanting sites, the Cathedral of Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cité island is a must see. Find out the best way to skip the line to climb the towers! Planning a trip to Paris? Live like a Parisian in a vacation apartment rental Paris Vacation Rentals Immortalized in Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Cathedral of Notre Dame has been as an essential part of the Paris skyline since its completion in 1345. Over the centuries the iconic cathedral has survived volatile moments in French history, including riots, revolutions and world wars. Today Notre Dame stands as a living link to Paris’ past, not to mention an exquisite example of Gothic architecture.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame’s famous façade and awe-inspiring interior must be seen in person to be fully appreciated. Its location on the Ile de la Cité, a natural island in the Seine River, puts the Notre Dame at the epicenter of the City of Light, and within easy reach regardless of where you are staying in Paris. Visiting Start your visit by admiring Notre Dame’s exquisite exterior. Complete with flying buttresses, stunning stained glass windows and a menagerie of menacing gargoyles, the cathedral is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture anywhere in the world. Step through Notre Dame’s entrance and its interior is no less spectacular. Massive stone columns line the nave and support beautiful vaulted ceilings. The Cathedral holds a treasure trove of historic and artistic gems, so take your time. Everything from Notre Dame’s smallest sculptures to its Great Organ (the largest in France) has a story behind it. As you explore the space, don’t forget to look up and watch the light streaming in through the cathedral’s stained glass windows - it’s truly a sight to behold! The Cathedral of Notre Dame is still an active church and a public space, so entrance is free.

However, access to the cathedral’s tower and treasury is not. For a small entry fee you can climb the 387 steps up to the top of the towers for a truly magnificent view of Paris, as well as a close-up look at Notre Dame’s famous gargoyles. The cathedral’s treasury holds a number of artifacts held sacred by the church, including what is thought to be the Crown of Thorns. History Situated on the Ile de la Cité - the oldest part of the city - Notre Dame is both the symbolic and geographic heart of Paris. Construction of the Catholic cathedral began in 1163, but was not completed until 1345. Over the last seven centuries Notre Dame has played host to some of the most pivotal moments in Paris’ fascinating history. The cathedral was the venue for the coronation of Henry VI in 1431 and Napoleon I in 1804. Notre Dame was desecrated during the turbulent French Revolution (1789-1799) and did not undergo major repairs until the 1840s.

A century later, the cathedral’s enormous bells sparked a chorus of chimes throughout the city to celebrate the Liberation of Paris towards the end of World War II. Paris Perfect's Personal Tip One of the most unique viewpoints in Paris, the towers at Notre Dame are fun for the whole family. Who doesn't like getting a portrait taken next to those iconic gargoyles pondering their beautiful view of the City of Light? However, the wait to climb up the towers of Notre Dame often exceeds an hour, even during the winter months when it can be a long, cold wait. Don't waste your valuable holiday time stuck in line! With the Skip the Line Notre Dame Towers and Sainte Chapelle tour you can avoid the long waits and go straight up to enjoy views of the city and have more time to see everything else Paris has to offer. Essential Information Address: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame - Pl. Jean-Paul II,75004 Paris Closest Metro: Cité Opening hours: 8:00 am to 6:45 pm (7:15 pm on Saturdays and Sundays). Did you like this article? Please share!

Notre Dame Cathedral | Paris Monuments | Parisianist City Guide Friday : 8:00 am - 18:45 pm more less Monday : 8:00 am - 18:45 pm Tuesday : 8:00 am - 18:45 pm Wednesday : 8:00 am - 18:45 pm Thursday : 8:00 am - 18:45 pm Friday : 8:00 am - 18:45 pm Saturday : 8:00 am - 18:45 pm Sunday : 8:00 am - 18:45 pm Our Insiders' Article An iconic Parisian monument Notre Dame Cathedral is the most visited monument in France, with an average of 30,000 people per day. Its construction started in 1163. While the façade is clearly one of the many highlights of Notre Dame Cathedral, it would be a shame not to go inside. Its beautiful gothic architecture will leave you speechless.

Other curiosities include the towers and bells (€8.5 / open daily 10AM-5:30PM), the archeological crypt (6€, 10AM-6PM, closed on Monday) and the treasure (4€ / 9:30AM-6PM, closed on Sunday morning). Our insider's tip: go there in the morning Before 9:30AM – visit Notre Dame Cathedral’s interior (entrance is free). 9:30AM – Start lining up outside for the towers and bells (opens at 10AM). If you are interested to see the relics and ruins of medieval Paris, visit the Treasure and Crypt after the towers. If you can’t make it in the morning, don’t be intimidated by the long lines to enter Notre Dame Cathedral as they tend to move quickly. But unless you are very patient, you can forget about the towers (access is limited to 20 people every 10 minutes)! Fun Facts The most famous part of Notre Dame Cathedral is the façade. Take a close look at it and you’ll notice it’s not symmetrical!

The middle entrance, with carvings representing Judgment Day is also a highlight as it was created in the year 1210. Inside, make sure you admire the stained-glass windows. The big lateral roses are some of the largest in Europe. Notre Dame’s paintings (called Silversmiths of May) and wood carvings such as the ones found in the choir are unique and worth a closer look. Tower & Treasure Climb up the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral and you will have a beautiful view of Paris, the 750 ton spire, the 13.2 ton bell and the iconic gargoyles and chimaeras. In the Treasure of Notre Dame, you will find sacred objects that have belonged to notorious historical figures such as French King Saint Louis (Louis IX), architect Viollet-Le-Duc, or Pope John Paul II. The most precious treasure, the Crown of Thorns, is shown every Friday after the 6:15PM mass or every first Friday of the month at 3PM. A glimpse of medieval Paris Outside the entrance is the Parvis de Notre Dame, also called John Paul II Square.

Many buildings were destroyed in order to build the square in the 19th century, but traces of the old streets are still marked by different colored stones. At the other end of the square is the archeological Crypt of Notre Dame, where ruins of ancient houses, streets, and docks prior to the construction of the cathedral are visible. 3D animated videos will take you step by step through the construction of the cathedral. History: Quasimodo saves Notre Dame In 1163, Maurice de Sully started the construction of Notre Dame. It was completed in 1345, almost 2 centuries later. During the French Revolution (1789-1799), Notre Dame Cathedral was sacked by the people and became a warehouse. Although Napoleon chose it for his coronation ceremony in 1804, the cathedral was abandoned after the festivities. Victor Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” saved it from destruction in 1831. As a result, architect Viollet-Le-Duc was called in to restore the cathedral,from 1845 to1864.

Conclusion: 850 years old, yet very modern Notre Dame Cathedral has celebrated her 850th birthday in 2013. For this occasion, modernizations were added (new fire prevention system, new lighting inside and outside, thin electrical wires on the outside structure to scare off the pigeons that were degrading the stones...). The cathedral that Joan of Arc, Mary Stuart, Philip II of Spain, Napoleon, and Napoleon III, once admired still stands proud. For its incomparable beauty and history, Notre Dame Cathedral is well worth a visit. What other travellers are saying (<% comments_count %> <% comments_count > 1 ? "Reviews" : "Review" %>) "<% comment.title %>" <% comment.user != null ? comment.user.pseudo : comment.pseudo %>, <% comment.user != null ?

comment.user.country.international_country.country_name : comment.country.international_country.country_name %>, <% comment.created %> See more reviews Inside Notre Dame de Paris - Review of Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France - TripAdvisor Review of Notre Dame Cathedral 6 Parvis Notre-Dame | Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France (Ile de la Cite / Ile Saint-Louis) +33 1 42 34 56 10 Website Skip the Line: Guided Tour of Notre Dame Cathedral Towers See more tours on Viator Certificate of Excellence Travelers' Choice 2016 Winner Landmarks Fee: No Recommended length of visit: 1-2 hours Owner description: This famous cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture on which construction began in the 12th century, stands on the Île de la Cité and is the symbolic heart of the city. There are newer reviews for this attraction “Inside Notre Dame de Paris” Reviewed June 12, 2015 Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris may be the second most famous building in the world in which the back is more often photographed (and painted) than the front.

First place in that category would have to go to the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Like the Parthenon, Notre Dame is the architectural symbol of the city in which it resides, though the Paris cathedral once more probably comes in second, behind the Eiffel Tower. In thinking of paintings by famous artists of the ancient island landmark, the first ones to come to mind were those of Claude Monet. Oops, Monet painted the Rouen Cathedral of Notre Dame. Therefore, if, in having visited France, you happen to mention in passing that you toured Notre Dame, you'd best be a little more specific. There are seven Notre Dame Cathedrals in France, plus an additional nine other churches having Notre Dame in their names. Last month, my wife and I toured Notre Dame de Paris. As is always the case, it's one thing to see photos and write about such a famous edifice. It's quite something else when you've "been there, done that." It's like being inside the great cathedral as opposed to merely seeing the outside, after having seen photos of the inside. Even when the cathedral is most beautiful, at sunset, a photo is a poor substitute for being in the church's overwhelming presence.

Moreover, it's often the little things that leave the most lasting impression. Even before going inside, I was startled to see French Army troops guarding the structure. Of course, given the recent terrorist tragedy in Paris, I shouldn't have been; yet I don't recall ever visiting any other such landmark guarded by a military presence. Those were assault rifles they were carrying and I have no doubt they were loaded. Inside, while passing around the perimeter of the apse, somewhere behind the high altar I think it was, I was stunned to find vending machines. No, they weren't dispensing soft drinks, only religious medals (two euros each) but still, vending machines in a cathedral? It's tempting to think of Notre Dame de Paris as being as old as Paris itself, though inasmuch as the city dates back at least as far as Roman times, such an assumption would miss the mark by more than a thousand years. Archaeologists have found ruins of a pagan temple nearby. Notre Dame was begun in 1160 by the Bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully after having torn down an "inadequate" church dedicated to St.

Etienne on the site, (historians think it more likely he considered it simply "out of style"). Style is important to Parisians. De Sully employed the "new" Gothic style he'd seen in the St. Denis Basilica, not far from Paris. Of course over the nearly two centuries which passed before the cathedral was finally completed around 1345, tastes changed, architectural styles evolved, and the engineering grew ever more complex. Notre Dame joined what could only be termed a "race to the heavens" among similar churches popping up all over France at the time. Notre Dame builders were not architects but visionaries. What they built influenced other such builders. What others built flowed back to influence the final style of the Paris cathedral. Notre Dame was, for instance, the first instance of the flying buttress. From the outside, these seemingly delicate, soaring arches add an almost fantasy element to the Gothic style. Yet, they are anything but delicate and developed as a matter of necessity rather than adornment. Without them, the stone walls, which grew ever thinner and thinner as the churches grew ever taller and taller, would have bowed outward and collapsed inward on worshippers, shortening their life-long journey to heaven.

And if a Gothic cathedral appears as something of a spiritual vision on the outside, inside they soar to what could nearly be call the heights of ecstasy. The ceiling of the Notre Dame choir tops out at 33 meters (just over 100 feet.) The Beauvais Cathedral in northern France won the race upwards at 48 meters, an astounding 159 feet in height on the inside (the height of a 16 story building). Touring a Gothic cathedral, one expects to be stunned by its beauty, regardless of how familiar you may already be with what you're seeing. In my case, it wasn't the architecture, or the stained glass windows, or even its soaring height which left me gaping. I was awed by the high altar with its pieta titled Descent from the Cross, (1723) by Nicolas Coustou. I've seen Michelangelo's Vatican Pieta. This one could sit very comfortably next to it. Any sculptural work has to be rather on the awesome side to compete with such a setting, dwarfed by the ten-story height of the cathedral, backed by three major and several minor stained glass windows.

Situated at the far end of the nave, Coustou's work serves as an impressive visual climax while at the same time struggling not to be overwhelmed by its surroundings. Besides astonishing heights, four other elements make up the Gothic style--the fluted column, the pointed arch, the ribbed vault, and finally, stained glass. And if actual heights weren't enough, all four of these other features serve to enhance the illusion of even greater heights. At the same time, the ribbed vault served to top off the soaring fluted columns. And finally, to quote no less an architect than God Himself, "let there be light." Hundreds of huge, slender windows on three different levels not only provided light, but reduced the weight of the ever more precarious walls of cut stone in their reach toward the sky. Stained glass not only told the story of Christendom, but cast an unearthly heavenly glow upon the soaring interior. Having just come from Barcelona and toured Antonio Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, I came to Paris somewhat jaded with regard to big churches.

Notre Dame compares very well in terms of scale, but, despite the number and size of its stained glass windows, they cannot compete with the light, bright, airiness of Gaudi's creation. Of course medieval Gothic and 19th-century Art Nouveau involves an apples and oranges comparison if for no other reason than the advances in structural engineering during the intervening seven-hundred years. Yet they are both magnificent testaments to man's outward devotion to God, art, and beauty, so some degree of comparison is unavoidable. Undoubtedly Notre Dame is best known for its enormous stained glass "rose" windows. I recall an art history professor I had once explaining why they call them that, but I forget what he said, and it doesn't matter much anyway. Suffice to say they are exquisitely beautiful and unbelievably large. If you can pry your eyes from the windows, closer to the floor you find a sizable collection of religious sculpture. Some, such as the Funerary Monument to the Count of Harcourt (located in a side chapel off the nave), are striking in their audacity, a lingering souvenir from the baroque era as it toys with the macabre.

The French department of tourism and/or the Catholic Church have gone to considerable lengths to allow tourists to not just see and experience Notre Dame, but to help them understand it as well, The museum's emphasis is on both the history and the architectural engineering that have made this stone monument a national symbol. It remains a place of worship, but like Sagrada Familia, it doubles as a tourist attraction. Admission is free and the massive doors are open every day of the year from 8:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. (7:15 p.m. on the weekends). Unless you wish to attend Mass, you may, want to time your visit around a daily schedule of religious services. The museum, tucked into the recesses of the immense structure, features a scale model allowing visitors to visually "fly over" the cathedral, inspecting details not otherwise visible. It's unlikely you would ever be able to actually do so from a plane. I wonder if the French have considered letting the fearsome Notre Dame gargoyle's guard the place. Visited May 2015 Notre Dame Cathedral Taken by K.

Farrer 6/2009 Statue of Charlesmagne History The Notre Dame de Paris stands on the site of Paris' first Christian church, Saint Etienne basilica, which was itself built on the site of a Roman temple to Jupiter. Notre-Dame's first version was a "magnificent church" built by Childebert I, the king of the Franks at the time, in 528, and was already the cathedral of the city of Paris in the 10th century. However, in 1160, having become the "parish church of the kings of Europe," Bishop Maurice de Sully deemed the building unworthy of its lofty role, and had it demolished. Construction on the current cathedral began in 1163, during the reign of Louis VII, and opinion differs as to whether Bishop Maurice de Sully or Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone of the cathedral. Construction of the west front, with its distinctive two towers, began in around 1200 before the nave had been completed. Over the construction period, numerous architects worked on the site, as is evidenced by the differing styles at different heights of the west front and towers.

Between 1210 and 1220, the fourth architect oversaw the construction of the level with the rose window and the great halls beneath the towers. The towers were finished around 1245 and the cathedral was finally completed around 1345. During the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV at the end of the 17th century the cathedral underwent major alterations, during which many tombs and stained glass windows were destroyed. In 1793, the cathedral fell victim to the French Revolution. Many sculptures and treasures were destroyed or plundered; the cathedral was rededicated to the Cult of Reason and later to the Cult of the Supreme Being. Lady Liberty replaced the Virgin Mary on several altars. The cathedral also came to be used as a warehouse for the storage of food. Napoleon Bonaparte, who had declared the Empire on May 28, 1804, was crowned Emperor at Notre-Dame on December 2, 1804. A restoration program was initiated in 1845, overseen by architects Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and Eugene Viollet-le-Duc.

The restoration lasted 23 years, and included the construction of a spire. In 1871, a civil uprising leading to the establishment of the short-lived Paris Commune nearly set fire to the cathedral, and some records suggest that a mount of chairs within the cathedral were set alight. In 1905, the law of separation of Church and State was passed; as all cathedrals, Notre-Dame remains state property, but its use is granted to the Roman Catholic Church. The Te Deum Mass took place in the cathedral to celebrate the liberation of Paris in August 26, 1944. The Requiem Mass of General Charles de Gaulle took place in the cathedral on November 12, 1970. In 1991, a major restoration program was undertaken. It was expected to last 10 years but continued well into the 21st century - the cleaning and restoration of the old sculptures was an exceedingly delicate job. But now the scaffolding is down and the result is spectacular: the medieval stone architecture and sculptures gleam in their original honey-toned color instead of industrial black.

West Front The west front of the cathedral is one of its most notable features, with its two 69-meter (228-feet) tall towers. The South Tower houses the cathedral's famous bell, "Emmanuel." The bell weighs 13 metric tons (over 28,000 pounds), its clapper alone weighs 500 kilograms. The bell is Notre-Dame's oldest, having been recast in 1631. The Galerie des Chimï¿½res or Grand Gallery connects the two west towers, and is where the cathedral's legendary gargoyles (chimï¿½res) can be found. The gargoyles are full of Gothic character but are not medieval - they were added during the 19th-century restoration. The King's Gallery is a line of statues of the 28 Kings of Judah and Israel, which was redesigned by Viollet-le-Duc to replace the statues destroyed during the French Revolution. The revolutionaries mistakenly believed the statues to be French kings instead of biblical kings, so they decapitated them.

Some of the heads were found during a 1977 excavation nearby and are now on display at the Museum of the Middle Ages The beautiful West Rose Window dates from about 1220. Taken by K. Farrer 6/2009 Taken by K. Farrer 6/2009 The Portals The three west portals of Notre Dame Cathedral are magnificent examples of early Gothic art. Sculpted between 1200 and 1240, they depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, the Last Judgment, and scenes from the life of St. Anne (the Virgin Mary's mother). Many of the statues, especially the larger ones, were destroyed in the Revolution and remade in the 19th century. Taken by K. Farrer 6/2009 Last Judgment Portal (Center West Portal) The central west portal was sculpted last of the three, in the 1220s and 1230s, and its theme is the Last Judgment, with Christ emphasized less as judge and more as the suffering savior of humanity. Taken by K. Farrer 6/2009 Portal of St.

Anne (Right West Portal) The Portal of St. Anne was the first of the three west portals to be installed (c.1200) and its tympanum is an earlier Romanesque work from the former St. Stephen's Cathedral, dating from about 1150. Anne is the Virgin Mary's mother, who is mentioned in early Christian stories but not in the Bible. The tympanum shows the Virgin and Child on a throne, accompanied by two censing angels, a bishop and his assistant, and a king. The upper lintel depicts scenes from the advent of Christ (Annunciation, Nativity, Magi, etc.) and the lower lintel tells the stories of Anne and Joachim and Mary and Joseph. On the trumeau is a statue of Saint Marcel, a 5th-century bishop of Paris, who spears a dragon symbolizing the scourges with which his diocese was cursed. Statues of Peter, Paul, and biblical monarchs (all remade in the 19th century) are on the door jambs. The wooden doors have original 13th-century ironwork. The Portal of St.

Anne (c.1150 and c.1200) Portal of the Virgin (Left West Portal) The Portal of the Virgin, dedicated to the patroness of the cathedral, is usually the exit door for modern visitors. It was sculpted second of the three portals in the 1210s-1220s. Unlike the other two west portals, it is surmounted by a gable. The tympanum features the Coronation of the Virgin, with an angel crowning Mary while Christ blesses her and gives her a scepter. The top lintel depicts the Death of the Virgin - Mary lies on her death bed (corresponding to the Nativity bed in the same position on the right portal) surrounded by Jesus and the Twelve Apostles. Two angels at her head and feet lift up her up to Heaven. The bottom lintel has three Old Testament prophets (left) and three Old Testament kings (right), all holding scrolls representing prophecies of Christ. The archivolts are populated by the Heavenly Court (angels, patriarchs, kings, prophets).

The door-jamb statues, destroyed at the Revolution and replaced in the 19th century, represent, from left to right: Emperor Constantine, an angel, Saint Denis holding his head, another angel, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Stephen, Saint Genevieve and Pope Saint Sylvester. On the trumeau is a standing statue of the Virgin and Child, with the pedestal below carved with scenes of the temptation and fall of Adam and Eve. The abutments of the doors have panels representing the natural universe, or life on earth. The panels on either side of the portal are weathered but elegant. The positions of the months echo the yearly cycle of the sun: rising in the sky from January to June (left jamb), then descending from July to December (right jamb). Completing the symbolic medieval universe on the inside jambs are the seasons (left) and the ages of man (right). Tympanum of the Portal of the Virgin, depicting the Coronation of Mary. Stained Glass Windows The stained glass windows of the Notre-Dame are very beautiful and a good part of them date from the 13th century when the cathedral was constructed.

In this author's opinion, Notre-Dame's collection of stained glass is not as impressive as those at other French cathedrals, such as Chartres and Bouges and in Paris the best place to enjoy an overall effect of stained glass is probably not Notre Dame but St. Chapelle Nevertheless, Notre-Dame's stained glass windows remain an important and beautiful work of 13th-century Gothic art, with interesting details well worth exploring in more detail. The highlight - and the greatest survival of original glass - is the set of three beautiful rose windows, which shine like jewels over the west door and in the north and south transept. West Rose (c.1220) The west rose window at Notre Dame is 10 meters in diameter and exceptionally beautiful. Dating from about 1220, it retains most of its original glass and tracery. The main theme of the west rose is human life, featuring symbolic scenes such as the Zodiacs and the Labors of the Months. On the exterior, it is fronted by a statue of the Virgin and Child accompanied by angels. Unfortunately, the interior view of its colorful medieval glass is now more than half blocked by the great organ.

South Rose (c.1260) The south rose window was donated by King St. Louis and installed around 1260. Designed by Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil, its general themes are the New Testament, the Triumph of Christ, and the symbolic number four. Repaired more than once over the centuries (in 1725 and 1727 by Guillaume Brice; beginning in 1861 by Viollet-le-Duc and Alfred Gï¿½rente), many of the panes are now out of order. In addition, Viollet-le-Duc rotated the entire rose 15ï¿½ to create horizontal and vertical axes for stability in the masonry. The south rose is 12.9 meters in diameter and contains 84 panes of glass. Radiating out from a central medallion of Christ, it consists of four concentric circles of 12 medallions, 24 medallions, quadrilobes, and 24 trilobes. The original central medallion has been lost; it probably depicted Christ in Majesty.

It was replaced in 1726 by the coat of arms of Cardinal de Noailles, the Archbishop of Paris who restored the window. Viollet-le-Duc replaced it with a modern Christ of the Apocalypse. The original medallions surrounding it include: 12 apostles (in the first and second circles), 20 angels carrying a candle, two crowns and a censer (fourth circle); the Wise Virgins; biblical scenes including the flight into Egypt, healing of the paralytic, Judgement of Solomon, and Annunciation (third and fourth circle); saints and martyrs including Lawrence with his grill, Denis holding his head, Pothin (Bishop of Lyon), Marguerite and a dragon, Blandine and two lions, George, Ambrose, and Eustacius; scenes of exceptional quality dating from the 12th century, depicting the Life of St. Matthew (third and fourth circle) The corner pieces depict: the Descent into Hell (left) with Moses and Aaron (top) and temptation of Adam and Eve (bottom); and the Resurrection of Christ (right) with Peter and Paul (top), and Mary Magdalene and John (top).

Below the rose are 16 lancets (spear-shaped windows), which are entirely 19th-century replacements. Designed by Alfred Gï¿½rente under Viollet-le-Ducï¿½s supervision, the depict 16 prophets. In the center, the four great prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel) carry the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) on their shoulders (inspired by Chartres Cathedral. Taken by K. Farrer 6/2009

Question: What iconic Paris cathedral was completed in 1345?
Answer: Notre Dame de Paris