Spotlight On: Notre-Dame de Paris

Represented in countless artistic landscapes, films, and transformed into a mythical prison for its legendary and fictional bell ringer, the Notre-Dame de Paris is an iconic and architectural marvel in the heart of Paris. Built in the 12th century, this gothic style church was one of the first to adopt the technique of flying buttresses in order support the weight of its impressive walls and ceiling. Decorated with detailed sculptures and breathtaking stained-glass windows, Notre-Dame de Paris is one of the most visited and most recognized landmarks in all of Paris. The two spires of the cathedral emerge proud and tall against the backdrop of the Île de la Cité surrounded by the river Seine. The spires were built at different time periods and represent two kinds of architectural styles, forever revealing the continuous transformation of France’s most famous cathedral over time. Its gothic lore and enticing design have spawned Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, among other engrossing thematic concepts since its development. Though its medieval qualities have played out handsomely in artistic mediums, the building is first and foremost a Catholic cathedral, with its title translating into the elegant name of “Our Lady of Paris.” Tourists, parishioners and simple visitors crowd into the large and magnificent frame of Notre-Dame in order to witness mass that still occurs as it used to when the cathedral first opened its luxurious doors to all who wished to enter.
 
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
6 Parvis Notre-Dame
Place Jean-Paul II
75004 Paris
+33 (0)1 42 34 56 10
 

View Larger Map