Built between 1163 and 1345, Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris ('Our Lady of Paris') is widely held to be one of the finest examples of religious Gothic architecture to be found in France. The cathedral sits on the eastern corner of Ile de la Cite, the historical centre of Paris and site of two earlier churches, themselves predated by a series of Gallo-Roman structures and a Pagan temple. After suffering heavy damage during the Revolution, the Notre Dame underwent extensive restoration - a job that was completed by controversial French architect, Viollet-le-Duc. Le Duc was responsible for the addition of a number of the cathedral's most noted features, including its tall octagonal spire and the scary looking gargoyles immortalised by Victor Hugo's tales of Quasimodo and Esmeralda. The great flying butresses, best viewed from the cathedral's rear, were also a later addition, built to support the walls of the choir and nave. The rose windows, numbering three in total, date back to the mid 1200s; the south rose window was a gift from Louis IX. The cathedral's treasury, open on a daily basis, contains multiple revered relics including what Notre Dame believes is the Crown of Thorns placed on Jesus's head before crucifiction.
Transport to Notre Dame Cathedral
