Notre-Dame de Paris

Notre-Dame de Paris, often simply called Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral located on the Île de la Cité in the River Seine, in the heart of Paris, France. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it is one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, known for its pioneering use of the rib vault and flying buttress, its colorful rose windows, and its rich sculptural decoration.

Construction began in 1163 and was mostly finished by 1260, though changes continued over the centuries. During the French Revolution, the cathedral suffered damage, but later restorations brought it back to its former glory. Famous events, such as the coronation of Napoleon and celebrations marking the Liberation of Paris in 1944, took place here. A major fire in April 2019 caused serious damage, but the cathedral reopened in December 2024.

Today, Notre-Dame is a symbol of Paris and France, visited by millions each year. It holds important religious relics, such as the crown of thorns and a piece of the True Cross, and remains a key part of the city's history and culture. Owned by the French government since 1905, it continues to serve as the home of the archbishop of Paris.

Key dates

The history of Notre-Dame de Paris spans many centuries. Construction began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and continued through the following years. By around 1200, the main body of the church, known as the nave, was completed with unique supports called flying buttresses.

Over time, the cathedral saw many changes. In 1699, the inside was redesigned in a grand style. During the French Revolution in 1790, valuable materials were removed, and the building was used for different purposes. In 1804, Napoleon held a major ceremony there. A big restoration took place between 1844 and 1864. In 2019, a fire damaged part of the roof, but reconstruction was completed, and the cathedral reopened in 2024.

History

Before the arrival of Christianity in France, a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter is believed to have stood on the site of Notre-Dame. In the 4th or 5th century, a large early Christian church, the Cathedral of Saint Étienne, was built there.

In 1160, the bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully, decided to build a new and much larger church in the Gothic style. Construction began between 24 March and 25 April 1163. The choir was completed by 1177, and the high altar consecrated in 1182. Over the centuries, Notre-Dame underwent many changes and additions, including the construction of transepts, the addition of flying buttresses, and the remodeling of its portals.

During the French Revolution, Notre-Dame was seized and its treasures were plundered. It was later restored to the Catholic Church by Napoleon Bonaparte. In the 19th century, a major restoration was undertaken by architects Jean-Baptiste Lassus and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who worked to preserve its historic features.

In 2019, a fire destroyed the cathedral’s wooden roof and flèche, but the main structure, including its façade, towers, and stained-glass windows, was saved. Restoration efforts began soon after, with the cathedral reopening on 7 December 2024.

Towers and the flèche

Main article: Spire of Notre-Dame de Paris

The two towers of Notre-Dame are 69 metres (226 ft) tall and were the last big parts of the cathedral to be built. The south tower was made first, from 1220 to 1240, and the north tower was built from 1235 to 1250. The north tower is a little bigger than the south tower. Inside these towers are the cathedral’s main bells.

The cathedral’s flèche, or spirelet, was placed over the middle part of the church. The first flèche was built in the 1200s but was taken down in 1786 because it had gotten weak from the wind. In the 1800s, a new flèche was made out of oak and covered in lead. On top of this flèche was a special weathervane shaped like a rooster. This rooster has special meaning for France and was placed to help protect the church. The flèche also had small statues of important religious figures around it.

The current flèche was put back up in December 2023, and a new golden rooster weathervane was added, containing important holy items and the names of people who helped rebuild the cathedral.

Iconography

See also: List of sculptures in Notre-Dame de Paris

The Gothic cathedral was like a "poor people's book," covered with sculptures that told biblical stories to people who could not read. The sculptures on the outside were once brightly painted and gilded to make them stand out. The main door shows scenes from the Last Judgment, where good Christians go to heaven and sinners are led away.

The outside of the cathedral also had funny and scary sculptures called grotesques, including gargoyles and chimera. Gargoyles were not just for looks—they were rain spouts that helped water run away from the building. Other carvings showed ideas from science and philosophy of the time, like alchemy. Sadly, many of the original statues were lost or destroyed over the years and were replaced during a big restoration in the 1800s.

• Illustration of the Last Judgment, central portal of west façade
• The martyr Saint Denis, holding his head, over the Portal of the Virgin
• The serpent tempts Adam and Eve; on the Portal of the Virgin
• Archangel Michael and Satan weighing souls during the Last Judgment (central portal, west façade)
• A strix on the west façade
• Gargoyles were the rainspouts of the cathedral
• Chimera on the façade
• Allegory of alchemy, central portal
• Ecclesia and Synagoga, statues on each side of the west façade

Stained-glass windows

The stained-glass windows of Notre-Dame are some of its most famous features, especially the three rose windows. The west rose window, made around 1225, is the smallest and was the first. The two larger rose windows on the north and south sides of the transept were made later, around 1250 and 1260. The south rose window, given by King Louis IX of France, is the largest and shows scenes from the life of Christ and important saints.

These windows have gone through many changes over the years. Some were damaged and later restored, while others were recreated in the 19th century to look like the original medieval designs. Even after a serious fire, the main rose windows survived, though some needed careful attention to keep them safe.

Burials and crypts

Notre-Dame de Paris was built without a crypt, and people were buried directly on the floor or in special stone boxes above the ground. Important leaders and some royalty were buried near the altar, while others were buried in different parts of the church. Over time, many tombs were changed or covered during renovations.

In the 1700s, small spaces under the church were made for burying important church leaders. These spaces are called crypts. During these projects, an old pillar from the 1st century was found. Some tombs were rediscovered in the 1800s when the crypts were expanded. A few remaining medieval tombs can still be seen today.

See also: Category:Burials at Notre-Dame de Paris

Main article: Parvis Notre-Dame – Place Jean-Paul II

Great organ

Notre-Dame has a famous organ that dates back to 1403. Over the years, it was rebuilt and improved many times. Today, the organ has 115 stops and more than 8,000 pipes, making it one of the largest and most impressive organs in the world.

The position of chief organist at Notre-Dame is very important in France. Many talented musicians have held this job over the centuries, bringing beautiful music to the cathedral. After a fire in 2019, the organ needed some repairs, but it was cleaned, tuned, and ready to play again by 2024.

Music

During the late 12th and early 13th centuries, while the Gothic cathedral was being built, Notre-Dame de Paris became an important place for music. It was the home and main center of the Notre-Dame school of polyphony, a style of music that used many voices singing together.

Bells

Main article: Bells of Notre-Dame de Paris

Notre-Dame de Paris has ten bells, with the two largest, Emmanuel and Marie, located in the south tower. The other eight bells are in the north tower. These bells are made of bronze and are used for special events, such as important historical moments.

During medieval times, bells were often blessed and named by the bishop of Paris. They were placed in special wooden structures called belfries to protect the cathedral's stone walls. Today, the bells continue to mark the hours and call to prayer, a tradition that started in the 14th century. Unfortunately, some smaller bells were lost in a fire in 2019.

Clock

The first clocks at Notre-Dame were clepsydras, which used water to tell the time and were linked to the bells. Later, in 1766, a mechanical clock was donated and placed beneath the north rose window. During a restoration in the 1800s, a new, larger clock was made and placed inside the cathedral, controlling several clock faces on the roof. Unfortunately, this clock was destroyed in the 2019 fire, but a matching one was found and might help build a new one for Notre-Dame.

See also: Bells of Notre-Dame de Paris § Striking clock

Ownership

Notre-Dame was originally owned by the archbishop of Paris and the Catholic Church until the French Revolution. After that, in 1789, it became property of the French state. Even though the Church was allowed to use the cathedral again later, the state kept ownership. Laws from the 1800s and the 1905 law on the separation of Church and State made sure the government would take care of maintaining the cathedral, while the Church could continue using it for services.