The Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris

The Notre Dame de Paris is a renowned church that gained its fame from Napoleon declaring himself Emperor of France in the cathedral in 1804.

The Gothic cathedral was built on the ruins of two former churches where the foundation stone was laid by Pope Alexander III in 1163. The Notre Dame Cathedral is considered the most famous cathedral in the world. The name ‚‘Notre Dame‘ is French for ‘Our Lady’.

The Notre Dame’s Gothic architecture sets it apart from among other cathedrals around the world making it the most famous and a travelers’ bucket list. It is the most eminent of the Gothic cathedrals that were built in the Middle Age. The historical building stands out because of its great style, old age, and architectural design.

In 2019, the Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire and has been going under major renovations since then. The fire occurred at a time when the cathedral was undergoing reservations and most of the roof was destroyed.

Despite the huge fire the cathedral still stands tall and the renovations are expected to be done by 2024. The construction is expected to cost $ 865 million.

“We’re all quite confident that 2024 will be the year of completing a large part of this reconstruction site and the reopening of the cathedral to worshippers and the public, although there’ll be more work to do after 2024, of course,” the culture minister Rima Abdul-Malak, told a journalist from French daily Le Figaro. As you can imagine the fire in 2019 caused a ripple across France and the world.

Fun Fact

Napoleon declared himself Emperor of France in the Notre Dame cathedral in 1804.

Also notable is the foundation stone that was laid by Pope Alexander III in 1163. Almost a century ago! 859 years to be exact. (2022)

The Notre Dame gothic design is thrilling. It measures 130m long, 48m wide, 35m high with a capacity of up to 6,000 people.

Inside the Cathedral, you get to enjoy beautiful 17th Century paintings of French and Italian origin. Near the main alter, sculptures from 18th century keep eyes glues to them as you marvel at their detail. The archaic wooden seats in the choir round up the artistic nature of the chapel, also from the 18th century.

The wall outside the chapel also serves as an information centre as one is able to read about the history of the chapel and the saints. At the moment only a small portion oft he chapel can be visited on the inside; visitors are welcome to visit the chapel outside grounds just like before, only the inside is limited. The information wall has pictures and explanations on what one is expected to see inside the cathedral.

The Notre Dame is definitely worth a visit due to its historical and architectural significance. It is located in the city of Paris just like the Eiffel Tower.

Happy Travels!!!