One cannot write a blog about architecture without mentioning the Notre-Dame Cathedral, arguably the most famous church in the world.
I love this building.
Not only is Notre-Dame one of the finest and most well known examples of gothic architecture, but it also gives me nostalgic feelings even though I have never physically been there. Seeing pictures of the giant, intricately decorated Roman Catholic cathedral immediately brings me back to my childhood living room.
Weird how an 850 year old monument reminds me of my living room, right? Well, it is partially due to the many memories I have sitting on the carpeted floor in front of my boxy television after putting in a VHS tape of Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
The Notre-Dame Cathedral, also called Notre-Dame de Paris, started construction in 1163 during the reign of King Louis VII. It was completed in multiple building phases over the course of two hundred years.
Notre-Dame was consecrated to the Virgin Mary and named after her. The phrase “Notre Dame” translates to “Our Lady,” which is a common title associated with the biblical woman.
The cathedral has many of the same architectural and decorative elements present in other churches and places of worship during the time it was built. For instance, the structure features a long nave flanked on both sides with double aisles, a high altar, a transept and crossing, pointed arches, and a cruciform, or cross-shaped, floor plan.
The cathedral also has a large clerestory level, which is the upper portion of a wall filled with windows to admit light into the interior space. This was supported by single-arch flying buttresses.
Notre Dame features other types of windows common amongst Gothic cathedrals. The north transept wall features a large rose window, or a circular stained glass window, that is 43 feet in diameter. This extravagant window sits above 18 tall stained glass lancet windows. There are three of these windows throughout the cathedral.
Even though the impressive cathedral is an example of the French Gothic style, it incorporates many architectural elements from the Romanesque period, including symmetrical rounded arches, heavy buttressing, and a tympanum, or a recessed and sculpted triangular space, in the portal. The tympanum, which is located on the west façade, features a depiction of the Last Judgment.
While Notre-Dame has suffered damage and natural deterioration throughout its many centuries of existence, it was recently destroyed by a fire on April 15, 2019. Luckily, many of the valuable religious artifacts and cultural relics were saved. However, many of its notable architectural elements were severely damaged. The Gothic spire, or the steeply pointed pyramidal form elongating from the roof, and the roof with ribbed vaulting, which gives the interior the iconic Gothic feel, collapsed.
In order to preserve the history and cultural and religious significance of the site, restoration campaigns are planning to begin in 2021. As of right now, all reconstruction plans are historically accurate, using similar materials and building techniques from the original 12th century construction.
I love the Hunchback of Notre Dame and I would always marvel at the beautiful bells within the church. Are those actually real?? Anyways, I did actually go to the church when I was very little, I still have a coin with the virgin mary on it and it was such a wonderful place to go!! I really hope they can reconstruct it in the same manner that it once was.
It’s so crazy to me that a building as elegant and large as that was constructed all the way back in the 1100’s. I find it kind of sad we don’t build anything like it anymore. While reading your post, it also kind of struck me as odd that through all those years, it never caught fire, but somehow in the 21st century, when we presumably have much better fire safety methods, it burns down.