1. One of the greatest creations of man - Notre Dame de Paris - stands on the banks of the Seine. This is definitely music frozen in stone. In other words, it’s hard to call this work of art.
2. Already in the fourth century AD, on the site where the cathedral now stands, there was a beautiful church of St. Stephen. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by the Normans who invaded French territory. In the sixth century, a church dedicated to the Mother of God was built nearby.
3. By the twelfth century, both churches had fallen into such disrepair that the Bishop of Paris decided to erect a temple. Thus began the history of the great temple.
4. Construction of the temple lasted almost two centuries: from 1163, when King Louis VII and Pope Alexander III laid the first foundation stone, until 1330.
5. According to the plan, the temple premises should have been large enough to accommodate all the inhabitants of Paris (and there were about ten thousand of them at that time). Now the population of Paris has increased many times over, but Notre-Dame de Paris is still ready to welcome more than nine thousand people within its walls.
6. The most important temple in France is located on the Ile de la Cité in the middle of the Seine. Due to the fact that the temple was built by several generations of architects, it combines Romanesque and Gothic styles.
7. It is interesting that there is not a single wall in the cathedral. The entire space is occupied by pillars connected by arches. There are stained glass windows in the arch openings.
8. A twelve-story building can easily be placed in the middle nave of the cathedral (it is the largest of the five). The two central naves intersect each other, reminiscent of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.
9. Three pointed arches serve as entrances. Near them stand statues of saints, prophets and angels. Also, the statues stand in the niches of the cornice. These are statues of biblical kings.
10. Much attention should be paid to the bell tower, which, at one time, served as a watchtower for Paris. From here it was possible to conduct excellent surveillance of the approaches to Paris and promptly notify the city residents of the danger.
11. In the nineteenth century, the main asset of Paris was brought into such decline that in 1841 the government had to make a special decision, four years after the adoption of which restoration began.
12. Today Notre Dame de Paris is the main monument of Paris. It is located exactly in the city center and is of great historical value. Be sure to visit it, you won't regret it.
13. The cathedral houses one of the great Christian relics - the Crown of Thorns of Jesus Christ. Until 1063, the crown was located on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, from where it was transported to the palace of the Byzantine emperors in Constantinople. Baldwin II de Courtenay, the last emperor of the Latin Empire, was forced to pawn the relic in Venice, but due to lack of funds there was no money to redeem it. In 1238, King Louis IX of France acquired the crown from the Byzantine emperor. On August 18, 1239, the king brought it into Notre-Dame de Paris. In 1243-1248, the Sainte-Chapelle (Holy Chapel) was built at the royal palace on the Ile de la Cité to store the Crown of Thorns, which was located here until the French Revolution. The crown was later transferred to the treasury of Notre-Dame de Paris.
14. The cathedral is visited by 14 million people every year and is one of the most famous monuments in Europe.
15. In 2009, Michael Jackson fans gathered on the porch of the cathedral thought that the bell was ringing in honor of the death of their idol. In fact, the ringing of bells accompanied the procession to the Cathedral of Saint-Severin.
16. In the Middle Ages, Notre-Dame de Paris was the Bible for those who could not read - the entire history of Christianity from the Fall to the Last Judgment is clearly depicted in numerous sculptures decorating the building. And the eerie and bizarre chimeras and gargoyles, watching from the roof over the endless stream of parishioners, have collected an incredible number of legends and myths about the secret meaning of the symbolism of the mystical temple. Esotericists believe that the code of occult teachings is encrypted here. Victor Hugo called Notre Dame "the most satisfactory brief reference book of occultism." In the 17th century, researchers tried to decipher the secret of the philosopher's stone, which, according to legend, was encoded by medieval alchemists in its architecture.
17. Other legends tell of devilish participation in the construction of the temple. The blacksmith Biscornet was commissioned to forge the most beautiful figured gates for the Paris Cathedral. Unable to complete the order, the blacksmith called on the devil for help. In the morning, when the minister of Notre Dame came to look at the sketches of the future gate, he found the blacksmith unconscious, and in front of him shone a masterpiece with openwork patterns of unprecedented beauty. The gates were installed, the locks were installed, but it turned out that they could not be opened! The locks gave way only after sprinkling with holy water. The Parisian historian Henri Sauval, who in 1724 investigated the origin of the patterns on the gates, which do not look like either forged or cast, said: “Biscornet took this secret with him without revealing it, either fearing that the manufacturing secret would be stolen , or fearing exposure, because no one saw how he forged the gates of Notre-Dame de Paris.”
18. Notre Dame Cathedral was built on the site of a pagan temple where the Romans worshiped Jupiter in the 1st century. Later, in 528, the Romanesque church of Saint-Etienne was installed here. And finally, in 1163, the Bishop of Paris founded a new cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Notre Dame).
The legendary building was destined to witness many significant events in the history of France. Here the crusaders prayed before leaving for the holy wars, Philip IV convened the States General - the first parliament in 1302, Henry VI (the only ruler of England who bore the title “King of France”) was crowned in 1422 and Mary Stuart was married to Francis II, and in 1804 year Napoleon put on the Emperor's crown.
At the height of the French Revolution, in which Paris was the epicenter, outraged people stormed the cathedral, which had become a symbol of royal power, and in the heat of the moment they beheaded 28 statues of the kings of the Jews. Many treasures were destroyed or looted, only large bells escaped melting down. The building survived by luck - after the destruction of Cluny Abbey, the revolutionaries ran out of explosives. So Notre Dame Cathedral was declared the Temple of Reason, and the premises were used as a food warehouse.
19. Only in the middle of the 19th century, after the publication of Victor Hugo’s first novel “Notre Dame Cathedral,” where in the preface he wrote: “One of my main goals is to inspire the nation with love for our architecture,” the restoration of the famous temple began. All the broken statues were replaced, a tall spire was added, and the roof was populated with demons and chimeras. In addition, houses near the cathedral were demolished to improve the view of the renovated building.
20. As for his 850th anniversary, all of France plans to celebrate the anniversary throughout the year. The program of events is extensive - services, concerts, exhibitions, festivals, scientific conferences. In addition, French Post plans to issue commemorative stamps dedicated to the anniversary. And the cathedral itself is going to update its bells, which will be cast using ancient technologies, restore the organ and update the interior lighting of the temple. Also, a special tourist route has been prepared for the anniversary, following which you can learn about little-known facts in the history of Notre-Dame de Paris. After all, there are so many more secrets and legends associated with this place.
21. For the anniversary events in honor of the 850th anniversary of the cathedral (which will last almost a year - from December 12, 2012 to November 24, 2013), nine new bells were cast for the cathedral (the total cost of creating new bells is estimated at 2 million euros), the organ was also reconstructed . A number of religious and cultural initiatives are dedicated to the anniversary, the preparation of which is being carried out jointly by the Archdiocese of Paris and the authorities of the French capital; in January, the French Post Office will issue two commemorative postage stamps. A special “pilgrim route” will be created, following which you can get acquainted with little-known facts about the territory adjacent to the cathedral and the secrets of the courtyard.
Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre Dame de Paris; French: Notre Dame de Paris) - the geographical and spiritual “heart” of Paris, located in the eastern part of the Ile de la Cité, on the site of the first Christian church in Paris - St. Stephen’s Basilica, built in its queue, on the site of the Gallo-Roman temple of Jupiter.
The architecture of the cathedral reveals a duality of stylistic influences: on the one hand, there are echoes of the Romanesque style of Normandy with its characteristic powerful and dense unity, and on the other, innovative architectural achievements of the Gothic style are used, which give the building lightness and create the impression of simplicity of the vertical structure. The height of the cathedral is 35 m, length is 130 m, width is 48 m, the height of the bell towers is 69 m, the weight of the Emmanuel bell in the eastern tower is 13 tons, its tongue is 500 kg.
Story
Construction began in 1163, under Louis VII of France. Historians disagree about who exactly laid the first stone in the foundation of the cathedral - Bishop Maurice de Sully or Pope Alexander III. The main altar of the cathedral was consecrated in May 1182, by 1196 the nave of the building was almost completed, work continued only on the main facade. By 1250, the construction of the cathedral was largely completed, and in 1315 the interior decoration was also completed.
Construction of the west gable, with its distinctive two towers, began around 1200.
The main creators of Notre Dame are considered to be two architects - Jean de Chelles, who worked from 1250 to 1265, and Pierre de Montreuil (the creator of the Holy Chapel. He died in 1267), who worked from 1250 to 1267.
Many different architects took part in the construction of the cathedral, as evidenced by the different styles and different heights of the western side and towers. The towers were completed in 1245 and the entire cathedral in 1345.
The powerful and majestic façade is divided vertically into three parts by pilasters, and horizontally into three tiers by galleries, while the lower tier, in turn, has three deep portals: the portal of the Last Judgment (in the middle), the portal of the Virgin Mary (left) and the portal of St. . Anna (right). Above them is an arcade (Gallery of Kings) with twenty-eight statues representing the kings of ancient Judea.
The cathedral, with its magnificent interior decoration, served for many centuries as the venue for royal weddings, imperial coronations and national funerals. In 1302, the States General, the first parliament of France, met there for the first time.
A thanksgiving service was held here for Charles VII, who was crowned in Reims. And a century and a half later, the wedding of Henry IV, who was the king of Navarre, and the sister of the French king Margarita de Valois took place.
As in other Gothic churches, there is no wall painting, and the only source of color is the numerous stained glass windows of the tall lancet windows.
During the time of Louis XIV, at the end of the 17th century, the cathedral experienced serious changes: the graves and stained glass windows were destroyed.
During the Great French Revolution, at the end of the 18th century, one of the first decrees of Robespierre declared that if the Parisians do not want “the stronghold of obscurantism to be demolished,” then they must pay a bribe to the Convention “for the needs of all revolutions that will occur with our help.” in other countries."
The cathedral was declared the Temple of Reason.
In July 1793, the Convention declared that “all emblems of all kingdoms should be wiped off the face of the earth,” and Robespierre personally ordered the beheading of “the stone kings who adorn the churches.”
The cathedral was returned to the church and re-consecrated in 1802, under Napoleon.
Restoration began in 1841 under the direction of the architect Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879). This famous Parisian restorer also worked on the restoration of Amiens Cathedral, the Carcassonne fortress in the south of France and the Gothic church of Sainte-Chapelle. Restoring the building and sculptures, replacing broken statues and constructing the famous spire took 23 years. Viollet-le-Duc also came up with the idea of a gallery of chimeras on the façade of the cathedral. The statues of chimeras are installed on the upper platform at the foot of the towers.
During these same years, buildings adjacent to the cathedral were demolished, resulting in the formation of the current square in front of its façade.
The cathedral houses one of the great Christian relics - the Crown of Thorns of Jesus Christ. Until 1063, the crown was located on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, from where it was transported to the palace of the Byzantine emperors in Constantinople. Baldwin II de Courtenay, the last emperor of the Latin Empire, was forced to pawn the relic in Venice, but due to lack of funds there was no money to buy it back. In 1238, King Louis IX of France acquired the crown from the Byzantine emperor. On August 18, 1239, the king brought it into Notre-Dame de Paris. In 1243-1248, the Sainte-Chapelle (Holy Chapel) was built at the royal palace on the Ile de la Cité to store the Crown of Thorns, which was located here until the French Revolution. The crown was later transferred to the treasury of Notre-Dame de Paris.
Architecture
The main facade of the cathedral has three doors. Above the three pointed portals of the entrances are sculptural panels with various episodes from the Gospel.
Above the central entrance there is an image of the Last Judgment. Seven statues each support the entrance arches (1210). In the center is Christ the Judge.
The lower lintel depicts the dead rising from their graves. They were awakened by two angels with trumpets. Among the dead are one king, one pope, warriors and women (symbolizing the presence of all mankind at the Last Judgment). On the upper tympanum there is Christ and two angels on both sides.
Plan of the cathedral from the book “Explanatory Dictionary of French Architecture of the XI-XVI centuries”
Viollet-le-Duc, 1856.
The doors are decorated with forged reliefs.
The roof of the cathedral is made of 5 mm thick lead tiles laid in overlapping layers, and the entire roof weighs 210 tons.
The upper part of the cathedral is decorated with images of gargoyles (the protruding ends of beams decorated with the faces of fantastic creatures) and chimeras (these are individual statues of fantastic creatures).
In the Middle Ages there were no chimeras at the cathedral. It was the restorer, the architect Viollet-le-Duc, who came up with the idea of installing them, using medieval gargoyles as a model. They were performed by fifteen sculptors, led by Geoffroy Deshaume.
The cathedral's oak, lead-covered spire (also added by the restorer instead of the one dismantled in 1786) is 96 meters high. The base of the spire is surrounded by four groups of bronze statues of the apostles (by Geoffroy Dechaumes). In front of each group is an animal, a symbol of the evangelist: a lion - a symbol of Mark, a bull - Luke, an eagle - John and an angel - Matthew. All the statues look towards Paris, except St. Thomas, the patron saint of architects, who faces the spire.
A significant part of the stained glass windows was made in the middle of the 19th century. The main stained glass window - the rose above the entrance to the cathedral - is partially original, preserved from the Middle Ages (9.6 meters in diameter). In the center is the Mother of God, around are seasonal agricultural work, zodiac signs, virtues and sins. Two side roses on the northern and southern facades of the cathedral in both transepts are 13 meters in diameter (the largest in Europe). During the restoration, the stained glass windows were initially supposed to be white, but Prosper Merimee insisted that they be made similar to the medieval ones.
The big bell (sounding in F-sharp tone) rings very rarely. The remaining bells ring at 8 and 19 o'clock. Each of them has its own name:
- Angelique Francoise, weighing 1765 kg (C sharp);
- Antoinette Charlotte, weighing 1158 kg (D sharp);
- Hyacinthe Jeanne, weighing 813 kg (fa);
- Denise David, weighing 670 kg (F-sharp).
Inside the cathedral, transepts (transverse naves), intersecting with the main longitudinal one, form a cross in plan, but in Notre Dame the transepts are somewhat wider than the nave itself. In the center of the long nave is a successive series of sculptural scenes from the Gospel.
In the chapels located on the right side of the cathedral there are paintings and sculptures by various artists, which, according to a centuries-old tradition, are presented to the cathedral as a gift annually on the first day of May.
The cathedral's chandelier (chandelier) is made of silvered bronze according to a design by Viollet-le-Duc, replacing the one melted down in 1792. (Taken in for restoration in 2007.)
Gallery of Kings
Stone figures lined up between the portals and the tier of rose windows. Those that are now made in the 19th century and depict kings from the Old Testament.
Previously, this place housed medieval statues of French kings. During the Revolution they were thrown down and beheaded.
In 1977, during work under one of the houses, part of the statues was discovered. It turned out that during the Revolution one owner of the house bought them, supposedly for the foundation, but in fact buried them with all honors and built his own house on this place.
Organ
The first large organ was installed in the cathedral in 1402. For these purposes, an old organ was used, placed in a new Gothic building. During its life, the organ was repeatedly completed and reconstructed. The most important are the restorations, reconstructions and extensions of Thierry in 1733, François-Henri Clicquot in 1788, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1868, and Boisot in 1960, as well as the collaboration with Synaptel in 1992, which allowed the organ to be fully computerized. Already from the time of Thierry's restoration, the instrument consisted of 46 registers located on five manuals. During its construction, most of the original instrument's pipes were used, 12 of which survive to this day. The organ also acquired its current building with a façade in the Louis XVI style.
In 1864-67, the leading French organ builder of the 19th century, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, carried out a complete reconstruction of the organ. The baroque instrument acquired the romantic sound typical of Cavaillé-Coll. The number of registers was increased to 86, the mechanical structure was equipped with Barker levers.
Among a number of other composers, Cesar Frank and Camille Saint-Saëns played on this organ. The position of titular organist of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, along with the position of organist of the Cathedral of Saint-Sulpice, is considered one of the most prestigious in France. From 1900 to 1937, this post was held by Louis Vierne, with whose participation the instrument was expanded in 1902 and 1932, and its structure was replaced with an electro-pneumatic one.
In 1959, the Cavaillé-Coll console was replaced with a console traditional for American organs, and the structure became completely electric, using more than 700 km of copper cable. However, the complexity and archaic nature of such a design, as well as frequent failures, led to the fact that during the next reconstruction of the organ in 1992, the control of the instrument was computerized, and the copper cable was replaced by an optical one.
The organ currently has 111 stops and approximately 8,000 pipes, approximately 900 of which are from the period of Thierry and Clicquot. This is the largest organ in terms of the number of registers. In 1985, four titular organists were appointed at once, each of whom, according to the tradition of the 18th century, conducted services for three months a year. Since 1990, the titular organists of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris have been three musicians: Olivier Latry, Philippe Lefebvre, Jean-Pierre Legue.
In fiction
The cathedral is the main “character” of the following works:
- Victor Hugo. "Notre Dame (novel)" (1831).
- Elena Chudinova. “Notre Dame Mosque (novel)” (2004).
In popular culture
- The cathedral is featured in the documentary series Life After People After 2000 Years.
- In the movie Armageddon, Notre Dame is destroyed along with the center of Paris due to a meteorite falling.
- In the movie Van Helsing, Van Helsing kills Mr. Hyde here.
- In the cartoon "Cars 2" the cathedral is shown in a slightly modified form.
- In the cartoon "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" the cathedral is shown in great detail.
- Mentioned in the song “Faith and the Swastika” from the 2011 album “Animal Jazz” by the group Animal Jazz.
- Mentioned in words in the film “Operation “Y” and other adventures of Shurik”, 1965.
Notre Dame Cathedral.
This beautiful Gothic cathedral is forever shrouded in romance thanks to Goethe's book and musical of the same name. Even those who have never been to Paris know this church. It rises in the very center of the city, on the eastern part of the Ile de la Cité.
Information:
Address: 6 pl. du Parvis Notre-Dame (view on Google Maps)
Metro: Cite or St-Michel RER: St-Michel
Opening hours: from 8:00 to 18:45 (until 19:15 on Saturdays and Sundays)
Entrance: Entrance to the cathedral is free. In the towers - 8 Euros for adults, 5 Euros from 18 to 25 years old, under 18 years old free.
Excursions: Free tours of the cathedral are held in Russian every Wednesday at 14:00 and Saturday at 14:30.
Observation tower opening hours: April 1 - September 30: from 10:00 to 18:30 (and on Saturdays and Sundays in June, July and August until 23:00).
October 1 - March 31: from 10:00 to 17:30.
Closed January 1st, May 1st and December 25th.
Story:
Construction of the cathedral began in 1163 by Bishop Muricius de Sulli. By that time, Paris was experiencing demographic and economic growth, immediately becoming a political, economic and intellectual center. As a result, according to the bishop’s plan, the old Church of St. Stephen (also built on the site of a previous Roman temple) was demolished in the same place, a square was organized, the street Rue Neuve-Notre-Dame, wide at that time, was created for access to the future cathedral, and The episcopal palace and the Hôtel-Dieu were also rebuilt.
Pope Alexander III was present at the laying of the first stone of the future cathedral. For the appearance of the new main city church, an airy Gothic style was chosen, which by that time replaced the previous heavy Romanesque cathedral. Construction lasted about two centuries. Upon its completion, the magnificent cathedral with its magnificent interior decoration served for many centuries as the venue for royal weddings, imperial coronations and magnificent national funerals.
The appearance of the cathedral has changed over time. In the 18th century the rose stained glass window was replaced by a new white window created by the Le Vieil brothers, a new sacristy was built and the central portal was finished. During the French Revolution, the cathedral suffered significant damage: the 13th-century spire was removed and 28 statues of the “Gallery of Kings”, mistakenly taken for French, although they were originally created as Jewish kings, were demolished). Some of the sculptures were beheaded, and elements of the destroyed statues were found only in the 20th century.
In 1831, Victor Hugo published his famous novel Notre-Dame de Paris, which was a huge success and brought attention to the crumbling church. As a result, in 1844 the government of King Louis Philippe I ordered the restoration of the cathedral and the construction of a sacristy.
Fortunately, Notre Dame was spared two world wars. In 1965 there was discussion about replacing the 19th-century grisaille window work in the nave with stained glass windows, as had originally been the case in the 13th century. The result selected was an option with colored spots, without images of figures, by glass master Jacques Le Chevalier.
Details:
Tower
Not only is Notre-Dame de Paris interesting as a beautiful example of Gothic architecture, but here you can also climb up and admire the bird's eye view of the center of Paris. A somewhat tiring road to the top, and then, among fantastic gargoyles and chimeras, the square near the cathedral, the Seine River, Montmartre Hill, and, of course, the silhouette of the Eiffel Tower will open before you in full view.
The entrance to the tower is outside the cathedral, on its left side, when looking at the central entrance (or from the side opposite to the river). There's a line there. During off-season the wait may take 15-20 minutes. At the top you will find an open space (netted) with two levels, as well as a floor with the famous bell, in which, according to Hugo, the hunchback tolled.
Great Judgment Portal
This portal with an arched entrance in the form of a row of figures is located on the western side of the cathedral. It was created in the 1230s - 40s, after the other facades. The theme of the design was the Last Judgment, in accordance with the Gospel of Matthew.
On the lower level, the dead emerge from their graves. A little higher, Archangel Michael weighs the souls of people on scales, looking at how righteously they lived on earth and how full their souls are with love for God and people. The chosen people go to the left towards heaven (to the right of Christ), and the condemned, going to the devil, go to the right.
In the center of the portal, the figure of Christ solemnly sits on the throne of glory, as a reminder that he came to us on earth to save humanity through his sacrifice on the cross. He points to the wounds on his hands, and two angels next to him carry instruments of passion: the left angel holds a spear and nails from the cross, and the angel on the right holds the cross itself. With this gesture, Jesus asks us to trust him and shows us that everything is possible with his support and the help of all the saints who work for us, especially Mary and John the Baptist, who can be seen nearby, as they were on the day of the crucifixion: Mary feet of Christ and John on the left.
Portal of the Virgin Mary
The portal of the Virgin Mary is located on the left side of the western façade. It was built in 1210-20, after the construction of the portal of St. Anna, but before the portal of the Last Judgment.
According to church tradition, the death of the Virgin Mary, her ascension to heaven and her coronation as Queen of Heaven are depicted. Just above the two doors, on the lower lintel, are the three prophets on the left and the three kings from the Old Testament on the right. They hold phylacteries, showing that God's promise has been fulfilled: Jesus came to save humanity. At Mary's head and at her feet there are two angels, raising her to heaven.
In the center of the portal - Mary in heaven - sits on the same throne as Jesus. An angel above her head crowns her, and Jesus blesses her and gives her his scepter. She becomes the Queen of Heaven, Regina Cæli, in the face of the Heavenly Court, consisting of angels, patriarchs, kings and prophets.
Photo gallery:
The architecture combines two styles: Romanesque and Gothic. We see echoes of the Romanesque style, first of all, in three portals with sculptural images of episodes from the Gospel. Gothic lightness, aspiration upward, towards the sky, personifies the idea of the monarchy and at the same time makes the cathedral stunningly beautiful. As expected, the cathedral stretches from west to east for a length of 130 meters, its height is 35 meters, and the height of the bell towers is 69 meters.
The famous western façade of the building is divided into three tiers: The lower tier is represented by three portals: the Last Judgment scene (with the image of Christ in the center), the Madonna and Child and St. Anne. The middle tier is the gallery of kings with 28 statues (destroyed during the French Revolution) and an openwork window - a 13th-century rose, striking the viewer with its radiance in the center of the tier above the pointed arches of the recessed portals. The upper tier is towers, 69 meters high. The upper part of the cathedral is decorated with images of chimeras, which did not exist during the Middle Ages. These night demons are considered the guardians of the cathedral. For a long time it was believed that at night they come to life and bypass the protected object. But according to the creators, chimeras are associated with human characters. There is a legend that if you look at monsters in the twilight for a long time, they will “come to life.” But if you take a photo next to a chimera, the person will seem like a statue. The most famous of these monsters is considered to be the half-woman, half-bird Strix (la Stryge) (from the Greek strigx, that is, “night bird”), which, according to myths, kidnapped babies and fed on their blood. The gargoyles present in the cathedral are designed to drain rainwater (drainpipes). And they were a sculptural decoration of the cathedral in the Middle Ages.
Each bell on the towers has a name. The oldest of them is Belle (1631), the largest is Emmanuel. It weighs 13 tons, and its “tongue” is 500 kg. It is tuned to F sharp. These bells are used in special ceremonies, while the rest are rung daily. There are 387 steps leading to the top of one of the towers.
The sculpture of the left portal “Glory of the Blessed Virgin”, where the Madonna and Child sits on a throne, flanked by two angels, a bishop with an assistant and a king, is worthy of special attention. In the upper part of the work you will see scenes of the Annunciation, Nativity, Adoration of the Magi, and the lower part of the image is dedicated to stories from the lives of Anna and Joseph.
The structure is a five-nave basilica. The naves, intersecting, form a cross, as it should be in the plan of a Christian cathedral. The stained glass windows give the cathedral extraordinary beauty, thanks to which the gray walls of the building are painted in all the colors of the rainbow when exposed to sunlight. Three round rose windows are located on the western, southern and northern facades, on which you will see scenes from the Old Testament. The main stained glass window, located on the western portal, has a diameter of 9.6 meters. In the center is an image of the Mother of God, and around her are scenes of work on earth, signs of the zodiac, virtues and sins. The side roses, northern and southern, have a diameter of 13 meters.
The chapels located on the right side of the cathedral attract attention with paintings and sculptures, which are gifts to the cathedral, brought, according to tradition, on the first day of May.
The cathedral's chandelier is made of silvered bronze according to sketches by Viollet-le-Duc.
The treasury of the cathedral contains the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ, brought from Jerusalem to Constantinople, pawned in Venice and redeemed by Louis IX.
The cathedral is divided into three parts by pilasters vertically and into three stripes horizontally. In the lower part, three grandiose portals open: the portal of the Blessed Virgin, the portal of the Last Judgment, and the portal of St. Anne.
On the left is the portal of the Blessed Virgin, depicting the ark with tablets and the coronation of the Virgin Mary. On the dividing pilaster there is a modern image of the Madonna and Child. In the lunettes in the upper part there are subjects of death, communion with heavenly bliss and the Ascension of the Mother of God. The lower frieze of the portal represents scenes from her life.
In the center is the portal of the Last Judgment. The pilaster dividing it depicts Christ, and on the vault of the arch the sculptor with great skill sculpted images of the Heavenly Judges, Heaven and Hell. The lunette is decorated with figures of Christ, the Mother of God and John the Baptist.
Below, on one side, stand the righteous who deserve salvation, on the other, sinners who are carried away to eternal torment. On the dividing pilaster of the third portal of St. Anne there is a statue of the 5th century Parisian bishop St. Marcello. The lunette is occupied by a Madonna between two angels, and on the sides are images of Maurice de Sully and King Louis VII. Below you can see scenes from the life of St. Anne (Mother Mary) and Christ.
Perhaps, first of all, the eye stops at the central portal, representing “Judgment Day”. The lower frieze is a continuous movement of the dead rising from their graves, while in the upper part sits Christ, who administers the Last Judgment. He sends people on his right hand to heaven, while sinners on his left hand are doomed to terrible torment in hell.
Above the main entrance there is a huge round lace window - a rose from 1220-25. with a diameter of about ten meters and statues of the Madonna and Child and angels. On both sides of the rose there are windows separated by a column. The upper part is a gallery of arches connecting two towers, which in turn are equipped with high windows with columns. The gallery is crowned with statues depicting fantastic birds, monsters and demons, made according to the drawings of Viollet-le-Duc. Climbing 387 steps to the bell tower, you can admire the beautiful panorama of the city below.
It is curious that among the sinners depicted there are people similar to bishops and monarchs, which means that medieval masters had the opportunity to criticize the powers that be. The craftsmen also had a sense of humor: around the arch of the portal there are depictions of playful, playful angels, for which, as they say, boys from the church choir acted as models.
Thanks to the novel by Victor Hugo, Notre-Dame de Paris is known throughout the world. Few people know, but one of the most famous Parisian landmarks also owes its salvation from destruction to the writer.
By the time Hugo’s novel was sent to print in 1832, the not-so-famous Cathedral of Our Lady was in a very sad state - the years had not been kind to it. Considering that the building was already more than 500 years old, the history of the landmark was of little concern to the French. And the writer himself claimed that one of the tasks he set for himself was to teach Parisians to love architecture.
Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris seen from the Seine 
View of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris 
Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral - gargoyles
And the architecture of this cathedral really deserves attention. The construction of Notre-Dame de Paris took more than two centuries - the building in the Gothic style was erected from 1163 to 1345. The process was approached fundamentally: several buildings were demolished and a new road was built. It is interesting that the building was consecrated and began to be used even at the construction stage - in 1182 the altar was consecrated, although the architectural structure itself had not acquired its final shape by that time. With all this, the nave of the cathedral was completed only in 1196, when money became available for the construction of the roof.
It is not surprising that during the construction work several dozen architects were involved. However, in the end they managed to build a unique structure, which today claims to be one of the most famous Christian churches in the world (up to 14 million tourists visit it annually). But the desire to implement one’s own ideas in a common brainchild can still be detected by taking a closer look at this ensemble. If you look at it closely, it becomes clear that the western wall and towers differ stylistically and in size.
Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral - facade 
Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral - walls 
Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral - evening
The finishing work was completed by 1345, and it can be said that Notre-Dame de Paris survived untouched by the hands of the builders until the 18th century. But the 18th century gave him many challenges and updates.
In 1708 - 1725, under the direction of Robert de Cote, the cathedral choir was significantly remodeled. These works became part of the implementation of measures to renovate the cathedral, promised to it for the birth of Anna of Austria, who was able to become pregnant after making a vow to the Mother of God. During the reconstruction process, fragments of columns that were part of the building that stood here previously were removed from the foundation. They turned out to be decorated with rich ornaments, and they were created back in the 9th century.
This completed the renovation of the cathedral. In 1789, a revolution broke out in France, led by Robespierre. The revolutionary declared Notre-Dame de Paris the “Temple of Reason,” and four years later he issued a decree to deprive the heads of “stone kings decorating churches.” At the same time, the 13th-century spire was destroyed.
In 1802, during the reign of Napoleon, the crumbling building was returned to the church. And after Hugo’s work gained popularity, the question of demolishing the building was no longer raised. And in 1841, restoration work began, headed by Viollet-le-Duc, already a popular architect at that time. Over the course of 23 years, the structure itself was restored, the crippled statues were replaced, and a new spire 96 meters high was built. Thanks to Viollet-le-Duc, figures of chimeras appeared on the façade and statues of monsters at the foot of the towers.
Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral - inside 
Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris 
Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris
The exterior of the building, thanks to a minimum of restorations, has been preserved in almost its original beauty. In particular, three recognizable lancet portals concealing entrances, above which a panel with gospel scenes rises. By the way, few people know that above the portals there are sculptures of kings from the Old Testament - those who were beheaded by revolutionaries.
In the external architecture of the cathedral, it is also worth noting the fact that the northern tower is larger than the southern one. And initially it was the only place where the bells were located. In particular, the largest one (the one that sounds least often and has the key F-sharp). In the 15th century, bells also appeared in the south tower. Today, all of them, except the giant Emmanuel, sound twice a day. And the most famous bell (and the oldest) is named “Belle”.
Point Zero - Zero kilometer Very close to Notre-Dame de Paris is the Crypt of the Notre-Dame Church, a museum that contains exhibits related to the cathedral. In particular, elements of buildings that stood here earlier and were discovered during excavations of 65 - 72 years of the last century. And on the square in front of the temple you can find the beginning of all roads in the country - the French zero kilometer.
Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris opening hours:
Open every day from 8:00 to 18:45 (19:15 Saturday and Sunday).
Admission is free and free
Passage with bags and suitcases is prohibited.
Excursions
Excursions in Russian are conducted by volunteers on Tuesday and Wednesday from 14:00, on Saturday 14:30
The meeting place is at the bottom of the cathedral, under the organ.
These excursions are free.
Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in numbers
About 13 million pilgrims and visitors from all over the world per year or an average of more than 30,000 people per day. On some days, over 50,000 visitors per day.
Building
– Area 4800 m2
– Vault height 33 meters
– Height under roof 43 meters
– Row spacing 10 meters
- The height of the towers is 69 meters
– Steps 380
– Spire height 96 meters
– Nave length 60 meters
– Transept length 14 meters
– Choir length 36 meters
– Total length 128 meters
– The length of the Western facade is 43 meters
– Nave width 12 meters
– Choir width 12 meters
– Total Width 40 meters
– Width of the transverse nave 48 meters
– The width of the Western facade is 40 meters
– The diameter of the rose in the north and south is 13.10 meters
– Diameter pink west 9.70 meters
Bells
The north tower has eight bells cast in 2012:
– Gabriel, #2, 4162 kg, diameter 182.8 cm
– Anne-Genevieve, si2, 3477 kg, diameter 172.5 cm
– Denis, do#3, 2502 kg, diameter 153.6 cm
– Marseille, re#3, 1925 kg, diameter 139.3 cm
– Etienne, mi#3, 1494 kg, diameter 123.7 cm
– Benoît-Joseph, fa#3, 1309 kg, diameter 120.7 cm
– Maurice, floor #3, 1011 kg, diameter 109.7 cm
– Jean-Marie, #3, 782 kg, diameter 99.7 cm
In the south tower, two bells:
– Emmanuel, cast in 1686, fa#2, 13230 kg, diameter 262 cm
– Marie, cast in 2012, floor #2, 6023 kg, diameter 206.5 cm
Organ
Large Organ: 5 keyboards, 111 registers and 7374 pipes.
Choir organ: consists of two keyboards and pedals and 1840 pipes.
Video:
Address: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame - Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris