Monday, 24 April 2017

Notre Dame Cathedral Paris

The Notre Dame Cathedral Paris or Notre Dame de Paris (Meaning 'Our Lady of Paris' in French) is a Gothic cathedral located in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France, It has its main entrance to the west. The island is on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité.

The Notre Dame Cathedral with its sculptures and stained glass windows show the heavy influence of naturalism, unlike that of earlier Romanesque architecture. It was one of the very first Gothic cathedrals, and its construction took place throughout the Gothic period.



Building work began on the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris  way back in the 12th century,  it was not until some 300 years later construction finally came to an end.  It is now  one of the most prominent cathedrals in France and one of the oldest ones too. The length of time it took to build is evident through the various styles of architecture that run through the building. Although it is predominantly French Gothic ,there are areas that demonstrate  the Renaissance and the Naturalism era of construction. These varying styles add to the outstanding  yet quirky beauty of the building .

The Notre Dame Cathedral Paris didn't originally have flying buttresses included in its design. But after the construction of the cathedral began, the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher and stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. The cathedral's architects, in an effort to fix the problem, built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued the pattern. The  was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress (arched exterior supports).

Over its vast history the Cathedral has suffered considerable damage, not least during the French Revolution in 1786. Fortunately it was sympathetically restored and continued to attract attention from around the world. The Cathedral has played host to many religious ceremonies and historical events and despite their own religious beliefs people of all different faiths and nationalities still marvel at it's unique grandeur.

In 1909 Joan of Arc was famously beatified in the Notre Dame Cathedral by Pope Pius X.  The brave young girl who told all she had experienced visions from God, went on to assist the French in conflicts with English soldiers. The French trusted her word and ultimately won many battles against England. As a big fan of the royals she also played a part in the crowning of Charles Vll. However not everyone was convinced by her religious visions and beliefs and she was later killed by Burundians' who accused her of heresy and burned her at the stake.  It was not until 1456 that her name was cleared and she became known as an innocent martyr



The Notre Dame Cathedral is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in the world.. The name Notre Dame means "Our Lady" in French, and is frequently used in the names of Catholic church buildings in Francophone countries.The Notre Dame Cathedral is the actual cathedral of the Catholic archdiocese of Paris: which is to say, it is the church which contains the official chair ("cathedra") of the Archbishop of Paris, Andre Cardinal Vingt-Trois.

Within the Cathedral of Notre Dame there are vast displays of artwork, furniture and many valuable items that mirror the Nio-Gothic design. Tourists are welcomed into the cathedral to view and enjoy these pieces for a small entrance fee. They are also able to attend Mass, which is held three times a day and a popular attraction for Christian visitors.

Surrounding the Cathedral there are a number of stunning Parisian Hotels  which are fortunate enough to enjoy magnificent views of the cathedral in it's entirety.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame is probably best known for its relation to the story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, made famous by the numerous cartoons and movies inspired by it. But it is the French Gothic Architecture that remains the biggest draw for visitors from around the world, an unrivaled,  perfect example to this day.



Facts About The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

1) Notre Dame is 130 meters long, 48 meters wide, 35 meters high. The rose windows have a diameter of 10 meters. The cathedrals pillars have a diameter of 5 meters.

2) Notre Dame is located on the Paris Island called Ile de la Cite, which concentrated the power attributes of France between the 4th and the 14th century.

3) The world famous cathedral is referred to as: Notre Dame de Paris ("Our Lady of Paris" in French), The Notre Dame Cathedral or sometimes just simple "Notre Dame".

4) If you want to visit Notre Dame via the Paris metro: Cite station on line 4. Saint Michel station on RER B and C lines.

5) The towers can be visited - April 1st to September 30th, 10am to 6.30pm (June to August, on Saturday, Sunday, 10am to 11pm) - October 1st to March 31st, 10am to 5.30pm. Last access is 45 mn before closure. Closed on January 1st, in May 1st, December 25th.

6) The twin towers go as high as 69 meters (387 steps). The south tower houses the 13 ton Emmanuel bell.

7) The best time to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral is early in the morning, between Tuesday and Friday.

8) Access to the cathedral is open and free of charge every day of the year, during the opening hours.



Facts About The Cathedral's Damage and Restoration:

Notre Dame has endured destruction and sunsequent restoration in many periods. However, much of the facade and interior still are true to the original designs. In the 16th century, both the Huguenots and the French king vandalized and changed a lot of the cathedral's contents. A lot of the features on the cathedral's exterior were removed because they were considered to be idolatrous, and tombs and stained glass windows were destroyed in the name of modernization. The cathedral was converted into a storage warehouse for food, during the French Revolution, and the heads of many of Notre Dame's statues were removed.

Between 1845 and 1870, a first attempt at restoration took place. A good portion of the previous century's damage done to the cathedral was repaired, and new additions were built. Most recently, a new restoration program was started in 1991 and has gone on for 20 years with a focus on cleaning up facade's and sculptures.



Facts About Notre Dame's Organs and Bells:

The many organs which were installed over the years after Notre Dame's construction are a centerpeice of the cathedral and themselves worthy of a visit. And the cathedral's bells are also some of the most famous in all of Europe. Of the five large bells that can be seen at Notre Dame, the one that is located in the South Tower, known as the bourdon bell Emmanuel, is the most prominent. It weighs over 13 tons.  The other four bells are located in the North Tower. The cathedral's bells were traditionally rung by hand, in the 20th century, electric motors were installed.



Respecting This Attraction:

The Notre Dame Catheral is not just one of the greatest Paris monuments. It is above all a catholic church, which is to say, it is a place of christian worship and fervor and therefore it should be respected and when visiting, tourists should behave accordingly.

Visiting hours-

Winter

7.30 AM - 7.30 PM

Summer

7.00 AM- 9.00 PM

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