8 Interesting Notre Dame Cathedral facts
Notre Dame is one of the most magnificent and historical structures in France and across the globe. In 2019, Notre Dame became a viral talk globally because of the massive fire that broke the landmark.
Aside from the fire breakout, Notre Dame remains highly popular in every human being’s eyes in this world. It is considered one of the most remarkable buildings in history, and it remains one up to this day. To know more about the Notre Dame Cathedral, here are some interesting facts about it.
The cathedral is located in Ile de la Cite
The Notre Dame Cathedral lies in the center of Seine. It is also near the river’s eastern end and was first built on two old cathedrals’ ruins. Before it was built, the place was also the location of two churches devoted to Jupiter. It was also a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to God. This is one of the best Notre Dame Cathedral facts in history.
Maurice de Sully initiated the cathedral’s construction
When the Notre Dame Cathedral was built, Paris’s bishop started and led the construction. That time, the bishop was Maurice de Sully. He was also the same person who gave turning the basilicas into a vast, single building.
Through de Sully’s initiation, the construction team ended up replacing Saint Etienne’s Cathedral with the Notre Dame Cathedral. During that time, Notre Dame was in its 6th-century version. The structure of the cathedral showed a Gothic yet classic style.
Notre Dame Cathedral Paris
In 1163, Notre Dame’s foundation stone was laid by Pope Alexander II
After Pope Alexander II laid Notre Dame’s foundation stone, the high altar’s devotion happened a few years after, in 1189. In the year 1250, the construction showed progress when the cathedral owned a choir set and a facade that shows a western vibe was added to the building.
The cathedral also added some porches, chapels, and other Catholic embellishments in the same year, making the church look more like a haven for Catholic visitors. The construction even lasted over 100 years.
Notre Dame Cathedral is led by the Roman Catholic Church, but owned by the state
Similar to the churches in France, the Notre Dame Cathedral is also owned by France. The bills and wages for the people who work in the cathedral are covered and paid by the government. Also, the employees working in the cathedral do not have French government subsidies.
Notre Dame de Paris is known to be the “poor people’s story”
The primary reason Notre Dame is built and organized by Catholic leaders in Paris is for people to be reminded about Christianity. It is also a way to illiterate the classes within the city. Once you enter the cathedral doors, stories from different times will be told via paintings, sculptures, and the structure.
Not only that, but the cathedral also got massive attention not only from the people in the city or the country but also around the world. The cathedral reminds everyone of God’s laws and how important it is to instill it in their lives. This is one reason the cathedral is widely famous.
The French Revolution mostly influences the construction of Notre Dame
France went through a lot of struggles in the past. During the Catholic cathedral’s medieval times, Notre Dame faced many bruises, especially during the French War. The war severely affected the cathedral; to the point, it was almost put up for sale because of the damage from the war.
Napoleon Bonaparte was the one who canceled the sale of the cathedral
When the time came that Napoleon I sat on the throne, one of the first commandments he made was to cancel Notre Dame’s auction sale. According to Bonaparte, the cathedral is too worthy for it to be sold.
Thus, he ordered to fix the cathedral and redecorate everything from scratch. It was also in Notre Dame, where he was appointed as emperor in the year 1804. In 1790, King Louis-Philippe also valued the cathedral so dearly that he initiated the church’s restoration.
In the mid-19th century, most of the renovations of Notre Dame happened
The cathedral restoration went on for years and years, but most repairs happened in the middle of the 19th century. From 1845 to 1864, Jean Baptiste Antoine Lassus and Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc led the restorations.
Takeaway
The beauty of the Notre Dame Cathedral will always be one of the best sights to see. The structure is timeless, and it reminds me of so much history in Europe. Despite the struggles and damages, it has gone through; the cathedral still stands tall, no matter what. It’s one of the places you could definitely add to your bucket list because of how beautiful and full history it is. Maybe, after the pandemic, you could finally plan a trip to it. It will really be well worth the visit and experience.
TIP: Visiting the capital of France? Check free things to do in Paris to save some money on your trip :)
Noah
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Very impressive and great article!!! You covered plenty of tiny details in this blog post about Notre Dame Cathedral. I have also visited the place during my trip to Paris and I loved it. The French Gothic architecture is one of its kind.
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Thanks so much Noah! Paris is a lovely city to explore, for sure :)