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This was destroyed with the several invasions of the Normans. During the 7th century a church dedicated to Notre Dame was constructed.
On the western end of the square in front of Notre Dame is the entrance to the archaeological treasure of the Crypt of the Notre Dame. Here one can visit the foundations and ruins of these first churches.
Construction of the Notre Dame de Paris began in 1163, during the reign of Louis VII, directed by Maurice de Sully, the bishop of Paris. It was built in what has come to be known as the "gothic" style. The first church built in this style is the basilica of Saint Denis, in the town of St. Denis just north of Paris.
The years of building the cathedral of Notre Dame involved several different architects, though none definitively linked by name. One would be Pierre de Montreuil, who was also the probable architect for Sainte Chapelle, completed in 1248. During the later years of construction, Pierre de Chelles and Jean Ravy are also mentioned.
The north rose window was completed in 1220 and has the oldest glass in the building. The towers took 25 years to build and were completed around 1250. The chapels of the ambulatory and the "flying-buttresses" were added during 1296-1330.
During the French Revolution, many of the cathedral's treasures were destroyed or stolen. The cathedral's great bells avoided being melted down and the cathedral was used as a warehouse.
Thanks in part to the success of Victor Hugo's novel, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", a restoration program was initiated in 1845, overseen by architects Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and Eugene Viollet-le-Duc. The restoration lasted 23 years and included the re-construction of the spire.
In 1911, the law of separation of Church and State was passed; as with all cathedrals, Notre Dame remains state property, but its use is granted to the Roman Catholic Church.
In 1991, a major program of maintenance and restoration was initiated, which was intended to last 10 years, but is still in progress.
Today, the front entrance to the church has been restored and the effect is quite stunning. The detail of the carvings and statuary stand out wonderfully when viewed from the Parvis, the Square, in front of the cathedral.
The exterior eastern side of the cathedral is particularly interesting. From the garden there, the Square Jean XXIII, you can see, in detail, the flying buttresses.
The west front of the cathedral is probably its most notable feature with its two square towers of 69 meters (228 feet).
The South Tower holds the cathedral's famous bell named, "Emmanuel". The bell weighs 13 metric tons (over 28,000 pounds), its clapper alone weighs 500 kilograms. The bell is Notre Dame's oldest, having been recast in 1631.
The Galerie des Chimères, or Grand Gallery, connects the two towers, and is where the cathedral's legendary gargoyles (chimères) can be found.
The West Rose Window is 10 meters in diameter. Many of the elements of the stained glass window date back to the 13th century construction of the cathedral. In front of the window stands a statue of the Virgin Mary carrying the Baby Jesus.
The King's Gallery is a line of statues of the 28 Kings of Judah and Israel, which was redesigned by Viollet le Duc to replace the statues destroyed during the French Revolution.
The revolutionaries mistakenly believed these statues represented the French kings and decapitated them. The heads of these statues were discovered in 1977 and are now on display in the Museum of the Middle Ages.
The three entrance Portals on the west facade depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, the Portal of the Virgin, Christ enthroned judging the living and dead, the Portal of the Last Judgment, and scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary's mother, the Portal of Saint Anne.
France's "kilometer zero", the reference point for distances measured along the highways starting from Paris, is marked by a plaque set in the square in front of the cathedral.
Significant Events at Notre Dame
Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor at Notre Dame on December 2, 1804.
The Te Deum Mass took place on August 26, 1944 in the cathedral to celebrate the liberation of Paris from the German Occupation of WWII.
The Requiem Mass of General Charles de Gaulle took place in the cathedral on November 12, 1970.
Generally, French Catholic religious events of national significance take place in Notre Dame.
Notre Dame de Paris Hours and Admissions
The Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris is open everyday from 7:45 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Admission is free.
The Towers are open everyday except for January 1, May 1 and December 25. The hours are from 10 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. during the Fall and Winter months and until 6:30 p.m. during the Spring and Summer months. The last entrance is 45 minutes before closing.
Admissions for the Towers are:
7.50 euros for adults; 4.80 for those under 26 years of age and free for those under 18 years of age. Groups of more than 20 persons are 5.70 euros each.
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