Incredibly, there are around thirteen million people from round the world that visit the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris each year, whether or not it is as a holiday maker on holiday in Paris or people on a pilgrimage.
The Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral was one among the very first Gothic Cathedrals and is classified as one of the foremost spectacular and finest samples of gothic architecture in France. And additionally to this, it was one of the very initial buildings within the world to use the flying buttress system.
It was within the 1200s that work began on the Western facade of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, however over its history there has been many various architects that have worked on this cathedral, purely as it took so long to construct and thus you’ll even see differences like the three portals.
And once you visit this Cathedral you can take the time to still admire the gargoyles, statues like that of Saint Denis together with the stained glass windows, just like the famous rose window, and a few of those features date back to Medieval times.
But the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral was made even more famous after the novel known as the Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo and yet, there’s so much more to find out with the vast history of Notre Dame Cathedral, a bit like the spectacular Emmanuel bell that dates from the 1600s.
And in fact the Grand Bell named the Emmanuel Bell, that is tuned to F sharp, has been an accompaniment to a number of the foremost major events within the history of France ever since it was initially forged, like for the Te Deum for the coronation of French kings, in conjunction with major events just like the visit of the Pope, and others to mark the end of conflicts together with world war I and world war II. Plus it rings in times of sorrow and drama to unite believers at the Notre Dame Cathedral, like for the funerals of the French heads of state and when events like the horrific September eleventh twin towers incident happened.
The new Grand Bell for the South Tower which will accompany the Emmanuel Bell is known as a drone bell, and therefore the name chosen is the same one as the original bell that was first cast in 1378, however got melted down during the French Revolution, which is why it is named Marie, in honour of The Virgin Mary.
Today you may even be able to see relics like the Crown of Thorns and it was King Louis IX who welcomed twenty-nine relics to Paris and these relics were held at the Notre Dame cathedral for a brief time while the Sainte Chapelle chapel was being finished
However, throughout the French Revolution, the relics were stored inside the National Library for safe keeping. Once the revolution ended Napoleon I offered a reliquary, that is essentially a shrine for The Crown of Thorns, and the relics were then eventually given back to the archbishop of Paris, who placed them inside the Treasury of the Notre Dame Cathedral on 10th August 1806, which is where they still remain.
The Notre Dame de Paris is one of the most important tourist attractions in Paris even for those who are not religious that might just like to experience the fabulous design and also the history of the building through to the great Organ, the Towers and the unbelievable Emmanuel Bell, and far more.
Yet the Notre Dame Cathedral continues to be a place of worship which is why this sacred monument in Paris still conducts services and Mass daily.
When it involves faith, it’s a place for Christians and Roman Catholic worship, where people from all walks of life can come together in prayer, and it has open doors for anyone that desires to join in with a Mass or one of the other services that are conducted on a daily basis each year.
But The Notre Dame de Paris also organises guided tours throughout the year for tourists who are on holiday in Paris and these are conducted in several languages and are offered utterly free of charge.
Yet for amazing views of Paris then selecting a visit to the Towers of Notre Dame Cathedral is a must, where you’ll get to see the historical centre of Paris and a wonderful panorama that may take your breath away, although there’s a price involved and the queues may be rather long at peak times of the year.
However, the Notre Dame Cathedral tower visit is sadly not accessible for the disabled as there’s no lift, but for those fit enough to climb the 380 steps, experiencing the higher components of the western facade that date from the thirteenth century is an unforgettable experience.
In addition to this, a major plus to climbing the spiral stairs of the bell tower to the belfry at the Notre Dame de Paris, is that the fantastic close up views you will get of the gargoyles and chimera that you just cannot see very well from ground level, and you’ll see the flying buttress architecture in all its glory.
Also you can see a large square in front of the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral where there are currently plaques commemorating the brave French resistance fighters that fought off the German attack for over four days throughout world war II.
Plus the founder of the Michelin tyre business, known as Andre Michelin, placed a plaque within the square in front of the Notre Dame, and it’s from this very plaque that all distances in France are measured, as this spot is classed as point zero, which is kind of fitting considering the wealthy history of the Ile de la Cite island.
So, as you can tell, with its incredible history and also the fabulous design, the Notre Dame Cathedral is a must see monuments in Paris that is located on the Ile de la Cite Island within the middle of the River Seine.
