Notre Dame Cathedral
The cornerstone for “Our Lady of Paris” was laid in 1163, at the direction of Bishop Maurice de Sully, on the Ile de la Cité, one of two islands in the Seine that divides the city’s Right and Left Bank. Bishop Sully, a peasant by birth, became wealthy and powerful through his scientific genius and spiritualism. He provided his own funds for building much of the Cathedral, selected the artisans, and created roads to bring in the necessary building materials. Construction began during the reign of Louis VII, and it was not completed until somewhere around 1345. Built on the site of the 4th century church Saint Etienne, and an earlier Roman temple to Jupiter, it is now the seat of the Archbishop of Paris.
A brief physical description of Notre Dame is included in this article, due to its imposing structure and historical significance as a world famous landmark. There are many different styles in the towers, representing the many architects involved in the design and reconstruction through the years. The West front has two imposing 228’ towers, with three entrances or portals: the Portal of the Virgin Mary, the Last Judgment, and the Portal to Saint Anne (the Virgin Mary’s mother). The towers are connected by the Galerie de Chimères (gargoyles), and the Rose Window of the West front is of particular interest, being 32’ in diameter and having a statue of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus in front. The North Rose Window is dedicated to the Old Testament, and the South to the New Testament. Flying buttresses, stained glass, three large rose windows, and paintings that depict Biblical history add to the magnificence of French Gothic architecture in the Cathedral of Notre Dame.
History reveals that the Cathedral suffered considerable damage during the reigns of Louis XIV and XV, as well as in the French Revolution of 1790, when many tombs, windows, and religious statues were desecrated, believed to be of French kings rather than the biblical kings of Judea. The Revolutionists dedicated the Cathedral first to the cult of Reason and then to the cult of Supreme Being, where pagan rituals were performed and food was stored. The major 25-year restoration by architects Viollet-le-Duc and Lassus began in 1845, and established the Kings Gallery, a row of 28 statues representing the kings of Judah and Israel, which replaced the ones destroyed during the French Revolution. They also introduced spires and chimeras, or gargoyles, strangely reminiscent of Hugo’s grotesque Quasimodo, to the exterior of the structure. The subject of Victor Hugo’s famous book “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” raised public awareness for maintaining the Cathedral and helped raise funds in 1845 to prevent its destruction. Hugo strongly supported Notre Dame, which he termed a “venerable monument…where time is the architect, and the people are the builder.” At the same time, Baron Haussmann, the city planner under Napoleon III, ordered the eviction of residents and the destruction of houses in the area.
A main attraction in the Cathedral is the organ built by Cliquot dating back to the 1700’s. Some of the original pedal pipework was kept when the organ was rebuilt and expanded in the 19th century by Cavaillé-Coll. The 7800 pipes, 109 stops, five 56-key manual or hand keyboards, and a 32-key pedal board were completely computerized in 1992. A number of organists have had the honor of playing this magnificent instrument. Based on 18th century tradition, they are usually appointed in groups of four, with each playing for 3 months out of the year. In addition, there are five bells in the Cathedral, including the famous 28,000 lb. Emmanuel bell in the South Tower, which chimes on the hour and for special services and occasions. Four other bells, on wheels in the North Tower, are currently run by electric motors.
Another interesting historical aspect of Notre Dame is the Crypt, the immense 282’ long underground chamber, which lies beneath the plaza, or Parvis, in front of the church. Here, one can view pieces of the foundation of the original church of St. Etienne, a house from the city of Lutecé (the Roman name for Paris), and the Celtic tribe settlement of the Pariisi. These artifacts, from pre-Roman times to the 19th century, were recovered in the archaeological excavation of 1965. Here too is the revered Crown of Thorns, displayed to the public for one hour on Fridays. Above the Crypt, there are brass strips embedded in the plaza to represent the streets and buildings that were excavated below.
Sermons are held to celebrate French Catholic religious events and important national events, which have included the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor on December 2, 1804, a mass to celebrate the liberation of Paris in 1944, the canonization of Joan of Arc in 1920, and Requiem Masses for De Gaulle and Mitterrand. Visitors can climb approximately 400 steps to the top of Notre Dame for a panoramic view of the city and the River Seine. Throughout history, religious pilgrims have come to pay homage to this holy ground, as have thousands of tourists who fill the Cathedral and the square, where pigeons flock, gypsies beg, and vendors sell food and souvenirs.
In addition to visiting Notre Dame as a major tourist attraction, people often pause at the bronze star in the plaza. This is The Point Zero, the official center of Paris, determined by geographers in 1768 as the reference point for all highways leading from the city. Tradition says that those who step on this star will one day return to Paris.
(Note: Further restoration and cleaning of the statuary that began in 1991 is ongoing, a time-consuming project of many years.)
Hours: Cathedral: 8 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., year round. Towers: Jul – Aug – 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., weekends 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Apr – June, & Sep, 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct – Mar, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, & 25 Dec. Crypt: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Closed Mondays.
Masses: 6 on Sunday, 4 on weekdays, 1 on Saturday.
Admission: Cathedral – Free. Towers – 7.50 Euros adults, 4.10 ages 18-25, free under 18. Crypt – 3.30 – 5 Euros. Treasury – 3 Euros adults, 2 for seniors and ages 12-25, 1 for 5-11, under 5 free. (Reduced rates and tours also available.)
(Note: Handicap accessible. Gift shop on main floor of the Cathedral. Museum around the corner from Notre Dame, open Wed, Sat, & Sun, 2:30 to 5 p.m.)