Contemporary critical reception.

Content.

Notre Dame de Paris.

Basic information.

Architecture.

Contemporary critical reception.

Construction history.

Timeline of construction.

Crypts beneath Notre Dame.

Organ.

Organists.

Bells.

Significant events.

Gallery.

Notre Dame de Paris.

Notre Dame de Paris (IPA: [nɔtʁ dam də paʁi]; French for "Our Lady of Paris"), also known as Notre Dame Cathedral or simply Notre Dame, is a historic Roman Catholic Marian cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. Widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture and among the largest and most well-known churches in the world ever built,[3] Notre Dame is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris; that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra (official chair) of the Archbishop of Paris, currently André Vingt-Trois. The cathedral treasury is notable for its reliquary, which houses the purported crown of thorns, a fragment of the True Cross and one of the Holy Nails – all instruments of the Passion and a few of the most important first-class relics.

Notre Dame de Paris is often reputed to be one of the most prominent examples of Gothic architecture in both France and in Europe as a whole, and the naturalism of its sculptures and stained glass are in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture. The first period of construction from 1163 into 1240s coincided with the musical experiments of the Notre Dame school.

The cathedral suffered desecration during the radical phase of the French Revolution in the 1790s, when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. An extensive restoration supervised by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc removed remaining decoration, returning the cathedral to an 'original' gothic state.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Notre Dame de Paris: Western Facade with westwork

Basic information.

Location 6 Parvis Notre-Dame, Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France

Geographic coordinates 48.8530°N 2.3498°ECoordinates: 48.8530°N 2.3498°E

Affiliation Roman Catholic

Region Île-de-France

Province Archdiocese of Paris

Ecclesiastical or organizational status Cathedral

Status Active

Heritage designation 1862

Leadership André Vingt-Trois

Website www.notredamedeparis.fr

Architectural description

Architectural type Church

Architectural style French Gothic

Direction of façade West

Groundbreaking 1163

Completed 1345

Specifications

Length 128 metres (420 ft)

Width 69 metres (226 ft)

Height (max) 69 metres (226 ft) (2 towers)

Spire(s) one

Spire height 90 metres (300 ft)

Monument historique

Official name: Cathédrale Notre-Dame

Designated: 1862

Reference #: PA00086250[1]

Denomination: Église

Architecture.

Notre Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress (arched exterior supports). The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave. After the construction began and the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued the pattern. Many small statues were placed around the outside. These were crafted individually and served as supports for columns and water spouts. Among these are the famous gargoyles and chimeras (the former of which is designed to run off rain water). These were originally colored, as was most of the exterior. The paint has worn off, but the grey stone was once covered with vivid colors. The cathedral was essentially complete by 1345. The cathedral has a narrow climb of 387 steps at the top of several spiral staircases; along the climb it is possible to view its most famous bell and its gargoyles in close quarters, as well as having a spectacular view across Paris when reaching the top.

Contemporary critical reception.

Jean de Jandun recognized the cathedral as one of Paris's three most important buildings in his 1323 "Treatise on the Praises of Paris":“ That most terrible church of the most glorious Virgin Mary, mother of God, deservedly shines out, like the sun among stars. And although some speakers, by their own free judgment, because [they are] able to see only a few things easily, may say that some other is more beautiful, I believe however, respectfully, that, if they attend more diligently to the whole and the parts, they will quickly retract this opinion. Where indeed, I ask, would they find two towers of such magnificence and perfection, so high, so large, so strong, clothed round about with such a multiple variety of ornaments? Where, I ask, would they find such a multipartite arrangement of so many lateral vaults, above and below? Where, I ask, would they find such light-filled amenities as the many surrounding chapels? Furthermore, let them tell me in what church I may see such a large cross, of which one arm separates the choir from the nave. Finally, I would willingly learn where [there are] two such circles, situated opposite each other in a straight line, which on account of their appearance are given the name of the fourth vowel [O] ; among which smaller orbs and circlets, with wondrous artifice, so that some arranged circularly, others angularly, surround windows ruddy with precious colors and beautiful with the most subtle figures of the pictures. In fact I believe that this church offers the carefully discerning such cause for admiration that its inspection can scarcely sate the soul. ”

—Jean de Jandun, Tractatus de laudibus Parisius­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 758