Notre Dame De Paris Cathedral in France

Notre Dame de Paris means 'Our Lady of Paris' in French. Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, the finest French Gothic architecture in the world, is located on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in Paris and has its main entrance on the west. The cathedral is one of the first buildings in the world to have arched exterior supports (flying buttresses). Its interiors, like, stained glass and many sculptures show a heavy influence of naturalism rather than of the earlier Romanesque architecture. The construction of the cathedral began in 1163 and was completed in 1250, although a few remaining elements were added till 1345.

The cathedral is the most popular monument in France, even more popular than the Eiffel Tower, with 13 million tourists visiting it annually. Besides being such a famous global tourist spot, it is also the Cathedral of Catholic Archdiocese of Paris, which means that the church contains the 'cathedra', the official chair of the Archbishop of Paris. The cathedral is an active church and a place of pilgrimage, with many religious events still taking place here.

History

The Notre Dame de Paris stands on the site where the first Christian church in Paris, Saint Etienne Basilica once stood. This earlier church was considered the cathedral of the city of Paris till the 10th century, but in 1160 the Bishop Maurice de Sully viewed the structure of the church as being unworthy of its position and got it demolished. The construction of the church or cathedral, as it stands today, began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII. It is clearly evident by the different styles and heights of the west front and the tower that not one but many artists were involved in its construction and design.

Later, between 1210 and 1220, rose windows and great halls beneath the tower were built. Construction of the towers was finished around 1245, but the cathedral was completed in around 1345. During the French Revolution in 1793, many of the sculptures and artifacts of the church were destroyed and on several altars, Virgin Mary was replaced by Lady Liberty. The restoration work of the church, under architects Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, lasted for 23 years.

Things to See

One of the most notable features of the church is its west front. It has two 69 meter tall towers. A 13 ton bell (its clapper weighing 500 kilograms) called 'Emmanuel', is inside the South Tower. This is the oldest bell in the Notre Dame. There is a Grand Gallery that connects the two towers and where legendary gargoyles, that were added in the 19th century restoration, can be found. The beautiful West Rose Window is 10 meters in diameter, and is sure to mesmerize you. Its main feature is the theme of human life, depicting scenes such as Zodiacs and Labors of the Months.

There are 28 statues of the 28 kings of Judah and Israel, that were destroyed in the French Revolution, and redesigned by Viollet-le-Duc. The three west portals of the Notre Dame are splendid examples of Gothic architecture. Many of the portals were destroyed during the French Revolution. The portals depict the life of Virgin Mary, the Last Judgment and scenes from the life of St. Anne (Virgin Mary's mother). These portals and stained glass windows are very beautifully designed and are a visual delight.

With so many portals, great window artworks and Gothic architecture, Notre Dame de Paris is undoubtedly France's most valuable monument. What is more astounding is the fact that the cathedral is still an active Catholic church. If you are an art lover and admire the old Gothic architecture, visiting Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral in France should be the most obvious choice.