Who has not heard about this famous French Catholic cathedral all over the world? We are familiar with it from the book of Victor Hugo and the popular modern musical, and those who visited Paris, probably saw this architectural masterpiece with their own eyes. For those who are just planning to go to France, it will be interesting to read about what the architecture and style of the cathedral, which bears the name of Notre-Dame de Paris, is.
History of the Cathedral
As you know, the history of Notre-Dame de Paris goes back centuries. Now he is almost 700 years old, and he was built on the site of the cathedral called St. Etienne, which was destroyed to the ground. It was on its foundation that Notre Dame was erected. But interestingly, in the same place earlier there were two other temples - the ancient paleochristian church and the basilica of the Merovingians.
Built the cathedral wanted to destroy first during the reign of King Louis XIV, and then during the French Revolution. But in the end, only the sculptures of Notre-Dame de Paris and its stained-glass windows suffered. In the rest everything is preserved, but over time the grandiose structure gradually fell into decay.
It is noteworthy that Notre Dame had not been so popular before - the questions about him as a monument of history and architecture of France, as well as his distress, Victor Hugo raised in a famous novel. It was his resonance that drew public attention to the Council. Thanks to this, Notre Dame was restored in the beginning of the XIX century. Architect Violet de Ducu was entrusted with this important matter, and he coped well: most of the ancient statues of the cathedral were restored, and well-known gargoyles and a spire were installed. Already in our time, its facade was washed from age-old dirt, revealing to the eyes of people its quaint carvings on its portals.
Features of architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
The building of the cathedral began to be built in the distant 1160, when the Romanesque style prevailed in the architectural fashion of Europe. The appearance of the building is so grandiose that it is difficult to imagine that all this was done by the hands of a person. For the same reason, the cathedral was built for a long time - its construction was completed only in 1345 - and, when in medieval France the Romanesque came to the Gothic style, this could not but affect the architectural appearance6 of Notre Dame. The building harmoniously combines both of these styles, being a model of their golden mean.
The general view of the cathedral leaves a "soaring" impression, despite the cumbersome structure. According to the idea of the architects who built Notre Dame de Paris (there were two of them - Pierre de Montréle and Jean de Schel), there are practically no flat surfaces in the building, and the whole volume is based on a game of chiaroscuro and contrasts. This is facilitated by lancet windows, numerous columns instead of walls and niches tapering upward.
The bottom of the facade is divided into three large portal. On the left side is the portal of the Virgin Mary, on the right is the portal of her mother, Saint Anne, and in the central part there is the Portal of the Last Judgment. Above them is the next tier where the arcade of the Notre Dame cathedral stretches - on it you can see 28 statues depicting all the kings of Judah. In the central part of the facade there is a giant window "rose" filled with stained glass.
The first thing that a visitor pays attention to inside a building is the complete absence of walls. They are replaced by columns, which give the interior of the cathedral an impression of a huge space.
As for sculptural art, inside the cathedral's building one can see ancient bas-reliefs depicting stories from the New Testament, and outside - statues of the Notre Dame of Our Lady (Virgin Mary) and St. Dionysius.
Crown the same cathedral famous chimeras, decorating Notre-Dame de Paris. Near them you can see only by climbing to the north tower. Statues of chimeras, like gargoyles, were established during the restoration of Notre Dame.
The visitors of the cathedral of Paris have the opportunity to listen to organ music (the local organ is the largest in the country), to visit the treasury of the cathedral and see the Crown of Thorns of Christ, as well as the crypt and the garden around Notre-Dame de Paris.
Also guests of Paris can get acquainted with other attractions - the Eiffel Tower and the Orsay Museum .