What is Notre Dame Cathedral famous for? Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre Dame de Paris) in Paris is the greatest Catholic cathedral in the world. Masons or Freemasons

One of the outstanding architectural monuments is the cathedral Notre Dame of Paris. Sung and celebrated by poets, writers and artists, this renowned temple of peace stands proudly in the heart of Paris.

It is called not only the geographical center, but also the spiritual one. Construction began in the distant 1163 and was completed only in 1345. It took more than 180 years to create the unique and amazing Notre Dame de Paris. This is the center of life in France, where emperors were crowned, royals were crowned and buried. Among other things, the place is notable for the fact that the first parliament of France met in it, and the poor and destitute found temporary shelter in the Catholic church.

The novel that glorified the cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral is shrouded in a halo of romance, covered in mystery and mysticism. This attracts millions of travelers to the temple every year. Notre Dame de Paris looks more captivating to tourists than the famous Louvre. There is a popular expression: "See Paris and die." Every person must visit a cathedral before dying.

The pearl of France will not leave anyone indifferent. But what is the reason for such incredible popularity? World fame was achieved thanks to the efforts of the talented master of the pen, Victor Hugo, who created a novel that has no analogues - Notre Dame Cathedral. It was his imagination and wild imagination that gave life to extraordinary heroes. The reader is immersed in the book. He was excited by the vicissitudes of the fate of the charming Esmeralda, he sympathized with the unfortunate lot of Quasimodo and was surprised at the deceit of the intriguer Claude Frollo. Thanks to these names, the name of the cathedral is associated with a dramatic fairy tale, this work piqued the curiosity of people from all over the world. But all the characters are just an invention of a gifted author.

grand construction

The main builders of the Gothic "castle" were considered to be two talented architects - Jean de Chelle and Pierre de Montreuil, there is practically no information about the rest of the people who had a hand in the construction. But the long years that this construction project lasted eloquently testify to the fact that there were many participants.

Notre Dame Cathedral can accommodate nine thousand people at the same time. In the Middle Ages, the construction of almost any city began with a church, and Paris was no exception to this rule. Modern archaeologists believe that there were four buildings on the site of the temple:

1. Paleo-Christian Church.
2. Merovingian Basilica of Saint Stephen.
3. Carolingian Cathedral.
4. Romanesque Cathedral.

The last building was mercilessly destroyed, and its stones served as the foundation for Notre Dame de Paris. The original idea implied a grandiose construction, the building of the temple should have easily accommodated the entire population of the city, which at that time did not exceed ten thousand people. But the construction was delayed, financial resources were not enough. The population of the city tried to contribute, even the poor and girls of easy virtue carried money for the construction of a sacred temple. Despite the lively and active participation of the inhabitants in the fate of the temple, the construction was delayed.

Style of Notre Dame Cathedral

The general impression of the visual inspection of the temple is very ambiguous. The fact is that the building does not have a single style, which, however, is not surprising, if we recall that the leaders changed with enviable frequency. In the XII century (the beginning of the construction of the cathedral), a peculiar Romanesque style prevailed, but gradually it was replaced by the Gothic. Thus, the building is endowed with features of several styles, which explains its unique appearance:

1. Romanesque architecture is distinguished by massive outlines, the absence of any frills, narrow windows, elegance is losing ground here, giving way to practicality, rationality, power and simplicity.
2. Gothic architecture is characterized by vertical compositions, pointed elements, and details directed upwards.

Echoes of the Romanesque style of Normandy and the innovative ideas of the Gothic style combined and gave a truly unexpected and interesting result. Notre-Dame-de-Paris is just that rare case when a mixture of styles only benefited and turned the building not into “kitsch”, but into one of the main decorations of a wonderful city.

Mysteries and legends associated with the cathedral

Fun Disneyland, freshly baked crunchy croissants, gourmet cuisine and collectible wines - it's all Paris. Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the main assets of the country and the pride of the local population. But the temple has a huge number of secrets and mysteries that still excite the minds.

When visually inspected, it is difficult to believe that this miracle was created by the hands of an ordinary person. ancient legend says that the devil himself took part in the construction. Moreover, he immortalized himself in the form of a chimera that adorns the cathedral. And this is not the only legend associated with the temple.

Where does the cathedral begin? Of course, with luxurious wrought iron gates. It is known for certain that they were made by a skilled craftsman named Biscorne. The blacksmith valued this responsible, honorable order so much and was afraid to disappoint his employers that he called upon ... Satan to help him. And only thanks to the efforts of the unclean, the whole world can receive aesthetic pleasure from the contemplation of unprecedented beauty, which the hands of a mere mortal cannot create. What gave impetus to the spread of this myth? When the gates were ready and the locks were cut into them, it turned out that the structure could not be opened by any force. Holy water came to the rescue. After the "devil's fence" was sprinkled with it, the iron succumbed.

What Tourists Are Saying

Notre Dame Cathedral is very tempting for all travelers. Reviews of people who have visited it are mostly enthusiastic and positive. This place allows tourists to experience a colossal range of pleasant emotions. It's hard to believe, but those who had the opportunity to visit this building claim that they felt the energy and strength emanating from it. It is possible that this is just self-hypnosis and the mood that the musical of the same name managed to inspire, but we can say for sure that the gloomy romance and incredible power of the Gothic cathedral will definitely not leave visitors indifferent.

first stone

The history of Notre Dame Cathedral is impressive. It began 850 years ago, but to this day a huge number of people are wondering who laid the first stone of this grandiose structure. There are several theories on this subject, but it is, of course, impossible to say for sure, too much time has passed since then. There are two most popular contenders for this role - Pope Alexander III and Bishop Maurice de Sully. But it was the bishop who decided to build a new cathedral on the site of the old and dilapidated building. His plans were ambitious and vain, the cathedral was supposed to surpass everything that was built before. We can say that the plans have come true. People started to perform a laborious task. It is worth noting that at that time there was famine in the country, so there were opponents of the expensive construction. But, despite all the protests, the work began. Of the most memorable and significant events that took place within the walls of the cathedral, one can note the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte, which took place in the winter of 1804.

Under the reign of Louis XIV, stained-glass windows and tombs were mercilessly destroyed, and the complete destruction of the legendary temple was planned. The people were given an ultimatum: if a certain amount of money is not collected by the appointed hour, Notre Dame de Paris will turn into ruins. It is amazing, but the Parisians complied with the conditions. Unfortunately, the national convention did not think to keep its word, the cathedral was badly damaged. Only in 1831, thanks to the efforts of Hugo, people again began to show interest in the temple and, as a result, the restoration of the building began a year after the publication of the book.

Exterior view of the catholic church

The description of the cathedral gives an idea of ​​the monumentality and scale of the building.

1. Length - 130 meters.
2. Height - 35 meters.
3. Width - 48 meters.
4. The height of the bell towers is 69 meters.

At the same time, the weight of the Emmanuel bell is as much as 13 tons, and its “tongue” is 500 kg.

Interior decoration and architecture A

Capable of striking masterpiece French architecture. Notre Dame Cathedral is a prime example of this. An early Gothic monument (Notre Dame) helped transform the city. The facade of the building is divided vertically by pilasters. The main facade has three entrance doors, above which there is an arcade called the Gallery of the Kings. On the inner field of the pediment - Christ and two angels. The central entrance has a rather symbolic decoration - the image of the Last Judgment.

The weight of the roof is over 200 tons. The upper part is decorated with images of gargoyles and chimeras. There is no wall painting in this temple, and the stained-glass windows of the lancet windows serve as the source of color. The rose above the very entrance to the cathedral has been preserved since the Middle Ages. Chandelier (chandelier) is made of bronze.

The first organ was installed in 1402, but its sound was not powerful enough for the vast area of ​​the cathedral, which is why the instrument was completed in 1730.

In front of the cathedral you can see the statue of Charlemagne, and behind the building is the Virgin Fountain.

Photo: Anna & Michal / Flickr.com

Notre Dame Cathedral is called catholic church in France. It belongs to one of the main attractions of Paris.

Notre Dame Cathedral on the map is geographically located in the east of about. City, in the 4th district, on the territory of the 1st christian church France. Construction lasted from 1163 - 1345. The cathedral reaches a height of 35 meters. The bell towers are at a height of 69 meters.

There are two stylistic directions in the architectural structure of the cathedral. In the first, one can notice a share of the Romanesque style with its characteristic rigid and dense combination of details, and in the second, one can note the unusual achievements in Gothic architecture, which provide the structure with simplicity and give a feeling of lightness to the vertical structure.

According to the description of modern archaeologists, several different temples were located on the territory of Notre Dame de Paris.
The construction of the Cathedral began in the time of Louis the seventh. Scientists have different opinions about such a fact, who was the first to lay the stone in the construction of Notre Dame. According to some descriptions, it was Maurice deSully, according to other descriptions, Alexander III.

In the spring of 1182 the main altar of the cathedral was consecrated, after 14 years the nave of the building was almost completed. After another 44 years, the construction of the southern tower was completed, at the same time it was decided not to use the idea of ​​crowning the towers with spiers.

The construction of the North Tower was completed in 1250. Later, the interior decoration was also completed. The construction of the western facade began in 1200.

Notre Dame, with its sumptuous halls, has for centuries been the venue for marriages of kings, coronations and funeral services. In 1302 Notre Dame Cathedral served as the meeting place of the country's first parliament.

In Notre Dame Cathedral, a prayer service was served by Charles the Seventh. And some time later, the wedding celebration of Henry the Fourth and the sister of the King of France, Margaret, took place here. In the era of Louis XIV, the Cathedral of Notre Dame underwent heavy changes: graves, stained-glass windows were destroyed.

During the period of the Great Revolution in France, the revolutionaries were told that if the French do not want Notre Dame to be destroyed, they are obliged to pay tribute to the needs of all revolutionary movements, which still happen to them in other countries. Notre Dame Cathedral was declared the Temple of Reason.

Architectural features of the Cathedral

The main ideas for the architecture of the Cathedral belong to the architects - Jean de Chelu, who worked on the project for 15 years and Pierre de Montreuil, who worked on the construction for almost 17 years.

Many different architects participated in the construction of Notre Dame de Paris, this fact is evidenced by the excellent and interesting in terms of stylistic description and size of the western facade of the building and the tower. The construction of the entire Notre Dame was completed in 1345.

Notre Dame Cathedral in the front part is divided by columns and galleries, moreover, at the lower level, there are several portals. Above which passes the Gallery of Kings with several statues, which, according to the description, personify the ancient Jewish rulers. On the lower lintel are illustrated the dead who were awakened by angels.

Many episodes use visual techniques and symbols to help you understand them as a whole. Suppose, according to the descriptions in the episode of the birth of Christ, the baby is placed above Mary, which indicates his higher status, moreover, he lies on the altar, which, according to historians, indicates his future sacrificial role.

In the architecture of Notre Dame, there is no painting on the walls, and a variety of tall stained-glass lancet windows serve as a color source. The doors are decorated with wrought iron reliefs. The roof of the building is filled with lead tiles, which are overlapped, the weight of the entire roof is about two hundred tons.

Restoration of the Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral began to be restored in 1841, at the suggestion of V. Hugo, who drew wide public attention to this issue in his work, in which he gave a detailed description of the deplorable state of the Cathedral.

The architect Viollet-le-Ducas supervised the work for several years. This well-known architect-restorer of France, among other things, supervised other restoration works (for example, the restoration of the church of the Gothic architecture of Sainte-Chapelle).

Work on the restoration of the Cathedral and sculptural compositions, the replacement of destroyed statues and the construction of the spire continued in fact for more than 22 years. The idea of ​​placing chimeras, mythical creatures, on the Cathedral, taking the gargoyles of the Middle Ages as a model, also belongs to this restorer.

So on the upper level at the foot of the towers of Notre Dame, you can observe gargoyles, which are ancient mythical creatures, and chimeras - individual statues of mythical characters. These sculptures were performed by several sculptors under the direction of J. Deschomet.

There is an interesting belief that if you look at them for a long time in the dark, they "come to life". And if you take photos close to a chimera or a photo next to a gargoyle, then the person will appear in the photo as a petrified statue.

Photo: Cornell University Library / Flickr.com

During the restoration work, the stained-glass windows of the windows were originally conceived as white, but P. Merime strongly recommended that they be made like medieval ones.

In the same period of time, the buildings that adjoined the building were demolished, as a result, the current square was formed in front of the facade of the Cathedral.

Cathedral today

Notre Dame is undoubtedly the most popular cathedral in Europe. Many novels have been written about it, a description of the temple can be found in many sources and articles, several documentaries have been shot and a huge number of photos have been taken.

In France, all paths will lead to it - so geographers decided back in the eighteenth century. Today, the Notre Dame Cathedral attracts many pilgrims and, in fact, it is able to accommodate 9 thousand people at the same time. One of the best views of the temple for good photos is the view from the embankment if you cross the bridge over the Seine.

First of all, Notre Dame attracts with its architecture. Here everyone wants to visit, find out, take unforgettable photos. So the height of the spire of the temple is 96 m.

The base of which is surrounded by four groups of bronze statues of the apostles. Animal symbols are placed in front of them. Each statue is directed to Paris, the only exception is St. Thomas, directed to the spire.

Most of the stained glass windows were made in the middle of the nineteenth century. The main stained-glass window measuring 9.6 m in diameter is a rose above the entrance to Notre Dame. On the north and south facades, Notre Dame Cathedral has 2 side roses.

The main bell does not ring often. Others call in the mornings and evenings. All bells have their own name and different weights: one weighs 1.765 tons; the second - 1.158 tons; third - 0.813 tons; fourth - 0.67 tons.

Conclusion

Inside the temple, transverse naves are made, which, intertwining with the main longitudinal, form a cross. In the chapels, which are located on the right side of Notre Dame, there are paintings and sculptures by various painters, which, according to many years of custom, are donated to the temple every year at the beginning of May. The chandelier of the temple is made of bronze covered with silver according to the design of the French architect.

Every year, the Cathedral is visited by millions of travelers, free tours are held, tourists are allowed to take photos of the interior of the Cathedral. Exploring the riches of this attraction can be combined with free admission to organ concerts.

18.12.2015 Altarpiece of the North Dame with kneeling statues of Louis XIII and Louis XIV

Temples have been located in this place since time immemorial, even in the era of the Romans there was a temple dedicated to Jupiter. Later, the Merovingians, who ruled Gaul in 500-571, built the Cathedral of St. Etienne here.

Notre Dame Cathedral was founded in 1163 by Maurice de Sully, Bishop of Paris, and the cornerstone was laid by Pope Alexander III. Its construction lasted until 1345, that is, it took almost two centuries. During this time, the project was led by dozens of architects, which did not prevent them from erecting a beautiful and organic ensemble. According to historical data, several more churches, both Christian and pagan, previously existed on the same site.

The construction of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris took place with the participation of many architects, but Pierre de Montreuil and Jean de Chelle are considered its main creators who made the greatest contribution. The building was laid during the reign of Louis VII. It was then that the Gothic style in architecture became popular, which was used by architects. This direction successfully mixed with the Romanesque style from the traditions of Normandy, which gave the cathedral a unique look.

Painting "The Coronation of Napoleon I" (December 2, 1804), painted by Jacques-Louis David in 1807

The history of France and Notre Dame cannot be separated, because it was here that the knights offered their prayers, setting off on the Crusades, the coronation of Napoleon, the celebration of the victory over the Nazi troops and many other events took place.

North Dame is shrouded in an atmosphere of mysticism and dark romance West facade of Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral suffered greatly from inept reconstructions during the events of the late 18th century, and later due to popular oblivion. So, the French Revolution almost deprived the world of this unique architectural monument, they even wanted to burn it. Many sculptures were broken or beheaded, stained-glass windows were destroyed, precious utensils were looted. The building was declared the Temple of Reason, then the center of the Cult of the Supreme Being, and later simply turned into a food warehouse. From total destruction architectural ensemble saved Victor Hugo's novel Notre Dame Cathedral, which took a central place in the love story of a hunchback for a beautiful gypsy. The publication of the work not only made the writer famous, but also drew the attention of the general public to the exceptional historical and aesthetic value of the ancient building.

It is here that "Kilometer Zero" is located - the reference point for all distances in France

It was decided to reconstruct Notre Dame according to all the rules of old technologies. Viollet-le-Duca successfully coped with such a difficult task, since the architect had knowledge of the construction methods of the ancient masters who worked on the construction of the temple. The restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral lasted more than a quarter of a century. During this time, the facades and interior decoration were restored, the gallery of sculptures and part of the gargoyles ruined by the revolutionaries were reconstructed, and all the surviving infernal “guards” were returned to their rightful place.

Additionally, a spire more than 95 meters high was built and installed on the roof. In subsequent years, the Parisians were extremely sensitive to their shrine. It is noteworthy that the temple was practically not damaged during the period of two World Wars. At the end of the 20th century, another restoration was initiated, which made it possible to completely clear the building of city dust, return the sandstone from which the facade is composed, to its original golden hue.

View of Notre Dame Cathedral through the arch

Video: Consequences of a fire in the cathedral

Facade and gargoyles

The most popular attribute of the exterior decoration of the Notre Dame Cathedral are stone demonic creatures. Gargoyles are present here in large numbers and are intended not only for decoration, but also for diverting water from the numerous drains on the roof. The fact is that the unusually complex structure of the roof contributes to the accumulation of moisture due to precipitation, since it cannot drain as freely as from ordinary houses. This can lead to the development of mold, dampness and destruction of stone, so quality gutters are a must for any Gothic cathedral.

Traditionally, unattractive chimney outlets were masked with figures of gargoyles, chimeras, dragons, less often people or real animals. Many see hidden meanings in these demonic images, so there is a lot of room for imagination here. It is noteworthy that at the time of construction there were no stone demons on the cathedral, they were installed at the suggestion of the restorer Viollet-le-Duc, who used this medieval tradition.

Gargoyles of Notre Dame

The main facade is decorated with stone statues and has three portals. The main one is in the middle, its arches support seven statues on each side, and the main decor is relief scenes. Doomsday. The right portal is dedicated to St. Anne, where are depicted Holy Virgin with the Child, and the left - the Mother of God, with the signs of the zodiac and the image of the coronation of the Virgin Mary. Huge doors are decorated with forged relief images.

The already mentioned spire on the roof replaced the one that was dismantled at the end of the 18th century. The design is decorated with four groups of apostles, as well as animals corresponding to the evangelists. All statues face the French capital, with the exception of the patron saint of architects, Saint Thomas, who seems to be admiring the spire.

Almost all stained-glass windows are quite modern, made during the restoration of the temple in the 19th century. Only in the central wind rose some medieval parts have been preserved. The pattern of this large-scale construction (diameter 9.5 meters) of colored glass depicts Mary, as well as rural work, signs of the Zodiac, human virtues and sins. The northern and southern facades are equipped with the largest roses that exist in Europe. Each of them is about 13 meters in diameter.

The facade of Notre Dame, including 3 portals: the Virgin, the Last Judgment and St. Anne, as well as the Gallery of Kings from above

The interior of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

North Rose of Notre Dame Cathedral

The design in longitudinal section is a cross, in the center of which there is a complex of sculptural images of various gospel scenes. It is interesting that there are no internal supporting walls here, their function is performed by multifaceted columns. A large number of artistic carvings are flooded with unearthly light, which is painted in different colors, passing through the glasses of several roses. On the right side of Notre Dame, tourists can admire the wonderful sculptures, paintings and other works of art that are traditionally presented as a gift to Our Lady every year on the first of May. The majestic central chandelier, designed by Viollet-le-Duc, was reconstructed to replace a chandelier melted down during the French Revolution.

Interior of Notre Dame

Stained glass window of Notre Dame. Due to the abundance of biblical scenes in the Middle Ages, the cathedral was called the "Bible for non-readers"

Between the portal and the higher tier is the Gallery of the Kings, where sculptures of the Old Testament rulers are exhibited. The revolutionaries ruthlessly destroyed the original statues, so they were made anew. At the end of the 20th century, fragments of individual sculptures were found under one of the Parisian houses. It turned out that the owner bought them in troubled times in order to bury them with honors, and later built his dwelling on this place.

It is impossible not to mention the majestic organ installed in the Notre Dame Cathedral. It was equipped during the construction of the temple, many times rebuilt and reconstructed. To date, this organ is the largest in France in terms of the number of registers and the second in terms of the number of pipes, some of which have been preserved since the Middle Ages.

Organ in Notre Dame Cathedral

south belfry

South Tower of Notre Dame Cathedral

If you want to enjoy Parisian panoramas that are not inferior in beauty to the view from the Eiffel Tower, you should definitely climb the South Tower of Notre Dame Cathedral. A spiral staircase of 387 steps leads here, climbing which you will see the main bell of the cathedral, Emmanuel, and you can also see the gargoyles in close proximity. It is believed that they look so attentively to the west because they are waiting for the sunset, after which they come to life every night.

Museum and Treasury

There is a museum in the cathedral, where every visitor can learn about the history of the temple in detail, listen to many famous and little-known stories related to this place. Various exhibits are stored here that directly relate to the centuries-old life of Notre Dame.

In the Treasury of the Norte-Dame de Paris

From the shrine you can go to the underground Treasury, placed under the square in front of the cathedral. It contains historical and religious relics: utensils, precious objects of art, and so on. But the most important exhibits are the Crown of Thorns of Christ, one of the nails with which Jesus was crucified, and a fragment of that same cross.

Gargoyle of Notre Dame

Procedure and cost of visiting

To get inside the Notre Dame Cathedral, you will have to stand in a long line. According to statistics, every day the threshold of Notre Dame, depending on the season, crosses from 30 to 50 thousand people. Entrance to the cathedral itself is free, but each adult will have to pay 15 euros to climb the bell tower. Those under the age of 26 can enter for free. The cost of visiting the Treasury is 4 euros for adults, 2 € - for young people 12-26 years old, 1 € - for visitors 6-12 years old. Children under 6 years of age can enter free of charge. In addition, on all Fridays of Great Lent, as well as on the first days of each month, treasures are taken out for public viewing free of charge. Such exhibitions usually begin around three o'clock in the afternoon.

Each visitor has the opportunity to use an audio guide in English, German, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese or Japanese. The cost of this service is 5 euros.

How to get there

The full address of the shrine is 6 place du Parvis Notre-Dame, Ile de la Cit, 75004 Paris. A five-minute walk from the metro stations "Chalet", "Cite Island" and "Hotel de Ville". In addition, you can use bus routes No. 21, 38, 47 or 85. On weekdays, Notre Dame Cathedral is open from 8.00 to 18.45, on Saturdays and Sundays from 7.00 to 15.00. Every Saturday there are services at 5.45 and also at 18.15.

Illuminated Notre Dame Cathedral

After wandering around the Marais, on May 1 we headed to the cradle of Paris - island of the City to see one of the main sights of Paris - Cathedral of Notre Dame (Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris).

Exactly on island of the City (Île de la Cite) Paris was born. Over 2 thousand years ago, it was inhabited by the Gallic tribe of the Parisians. Due to the strategic position of the island, it remained the center of all the cities that were built here under the Romans, Franks, Capetians. As a result of the urban transformations of Baron Haussmann, the appearance of the island of Cité has changed almost beyond recognition. However, such significant medieval buildings as Cathedral of Notre Dame, Saint-Chapelle and the Conciergerie.

At first we sat very nicely in square of John XXIII (Square Jean XXIII) on the banks of the Seine, behind Notre Dame Cathedral. Despite the abundance of people, it was quite calm and comfortable here, very green and pleasant. This square offers a magnificent view of the cathedral and its sculptural compositions, as well as the buttresses supporting the roof and walls of Notre Dame. In the 17th century, the residence of the archbishop was located here, but in 1831 the archbishop's palace was plundered and desecrated by revolutionaries, and later destroyed. Then this wasteland was bought by the Parisian prefect Count Rambuteau ( Comte de Rambuteau), he also planted a wonderful garden here in 1844. Since 1845, the garden has been decorated with a pseudo-Gothic Fountain of the Virgin or archiepiscopal fountain (la fontaine de la Vierge or la fontaine de l "Archecheché), designed by the architect Alphonse Vigureux ( AlphonseVigoureux). The figure of the Virgin and Child was made by the sculptor Louis Merlieu ( Louis Merlieux). On the pedestal where she stands, you can see the figures of 12 apostles (four on each of the three faces), and in the lowest part of the fountain - the figures of three archangels (from their feet, in fact, water flows). The square itself is named after one of the most popular popes of the 20th century - John XXIII, who was pope in 1958-1963.

View of the Fountain of the Virgin and Notre Dame Cathedral from the square of John XXIII:

After sitting in the square of John, we went to the main entrance to the cathedral. The queue is all over the place! But, fortunately, she moved quite cheerfully. Inside the cathedral, respectively, there are also plenty of people. It saves that everyone moves in an organized manner, counterclockwise: from the western side of the cathedral to the south and then, through the altar (eastern) part, to the north.

Next to the cathedral is a statue of Charlemagne, who united the Christian nations of the West. In 768, Charles became king, and in 800, emperor.

History of Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral

The history of Notre Dame de Paris on the Ile de la Cité is quite interesting. Cathedral of Notre Dame(Notre Dame de Paris) was built on the site of the ruins of a Roman temple. The first stone in its foundation was laid by Pope Alexander III in 1163 (according to other sources, it was Bishop Maurice de Sully). Work on the construction of a huge cathedral was completed only by 1330. With dimensions of 130 m in length and 35 m in height (not counting the vaults), Notre Dame de Paris was far superior in scale to most other Gothic cathedrals. To implement the project, we even had to change the building plans of the whole area!

In 1793, the revolutionaries turned the cathedral into a “temple of reason” and robbed (Robespierre ordered the beheading of “stone kings decorating churches”), in 1795-1802. it was closed and even served as a wine warehouse. In 1804, the coronation of Napoleon took place here (it was under Napoleon that Notre Dame was returned to the church and re-consecrated). In 1944, a ceremony was held at Notre Dame to mark the liberation of Paris, and in 1977, the funeral of General de Gaulle.

In 1841, work began on the complete restoration of Notre Dame under the guidance of a renowned architect and restorer Viollet-le-Duc (Viollet-le-Duc) (by the way, he was engaged in the restoration of the Sainte-Chapelle). Work on the restoration of the building and the restoration of sculptures, the replacement of broken statues and the construction of a 90-meter spire, designed by Viollet-le-Duc instead of dismantled in 1786, took 23 years.

Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris: interesting facts

At the base of the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral installed figures of the 12 apostles going down. Each group consists of three apostles, and each is accompanied by a winged creature, symbolizing one of the four evangelists (angel, lion, calf and eagle). The eyes of all the apostles are directed downward towards the city, and only one apostle, St. Thomas is looking to the cathedral: He turned around to take one last look at his creation. The fact is that, according to the plan of Viollet-le-Duc, the figure of this apostle (the patron of architects) personifies himself, his profession; this is a kind of signature of the master (it is no coincidence that this apostle has a ruler in his hands).

Gargoyles and chimeras of Notre Dame de Paris

Viollet-le-Duc also owns the idea galleries of chimeras on the facade of the cathedral (there were no chimeras at Notre Dame in the Middle Ages). The famous chimeras hide on the upper platform at the foot of the towers.

Gargoyles Parisian Notre Dame belong to the Middle Ages, or rather to the XIII century, and are known no less than chimeras. The most beautiful gargoyles are considered to be at the level of the large flying buttresses of the choir (they are more elongated and, so to speak, slender than their slightly younger sisters (around 1225 versus 1240)). Thanks to durable limestone ( liesu), mined in the Seine basin, the monsters are well preserved. In addition, in addition to the ideal building material, it is worth noting that the Paris of the Middle Ages was a big city, where many wonderful craftsmen and, in particular, sculptors flocked to work. Here are photos of several gargoyles we took during this trip (I don’t know exactly which part of the facade these pictures were taken from):

Strictly speaking, gargoyles(sometimes there is a spelling gargoyles) is not at all the same as chimeras. Although they are often confused. Actually, gargouille translated from French as "gutter, drainpipe". Hence their functional, and not just decorative purpose: these monsters (dragon snakes) have long been used to drain rainwater from the roofs and walls of buildings. Impressive torrential masses can erupt from their mouths far beyond the cathedral, so that the gargoyles, in fact, protect the walls of the temple from damage, and the foundation of the building from destruction.

As for chimeras, installed at the base of the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral, these are fantastic, grotesque, usually ugly creatures with the body of a monkey and bat wings, goat horns, snake heads and other animal attributes. Chimeras represent human sins and the forces of evil. Their function, unlike gargoyles, is purely decorative.

You can admire the chimeras of Notre Dame if you climb gallery of chimeras (Galerie des chimeres). All this balustrade is occupied by figures of demons, monsters and fantastic birds. In the Middle Ages, these sculptural elements did not exist at the cathedral: they, as mentioned above, decided to introduce Viollet-le-Duc to recreate the fantastic and mysterious atmosphere of the Middle Ages. Viollet-le-Duc himself painted the chimeras, and they were completed by fifteen remarkable sculptors of the 19th century under the guidance of Geoffroy Deschomas (). Viollet-le-Duc and his team were not afraid of the new and proved that Notre Dame Cathedral is not a museum and not a frozen monument of the past, but a living temple that develops and is complemented by new decor.

The most famous chimera of Notre Dame is Strix (la Stryge) (from the Greek. strigx, that is, "night bird"), a winged night demon, a half-woman half-bird who emitted piercing criticism and, according to legend, fed on the blood of newborn babies or abducted them in her clawed paws. Pliny the Elder in his Natural History describes popular belief as if the strix poisoned children with their poisonous milk. Already the Romans were afraid of these nocturnal nocturnal spirits, reminiscent of vampires. Chimera-strix became famous thanks to the etchings of the French engraver Charles Merion (Charles Merion) (1821-1868) with views of Paris. Here is this famous engraving from 1853:

To get to the gallery of chimeras, you need to go through 387 steps of the north tower, and then a beautiful panorama of the city opens up and you can take great pictures of the famous monsters looking at Paris spreading below and as if mocking all the abominations and outrages that occur on earth. True, we didn’t climb the tower, I don’t remember exactly why. Probably because of the line...

Portals of the main facade of Notre Dame de Paris: the exterior of the cathedral

General view of the cathedral:

Parisian Notre Dame is a basilica with galleries and double side naves. Gothic cathedrals with double aisles were rarely built, which puts the cathedral in a privileged position. The double naves are divided in half by longitudinal rows of giant columns.

Three portals of the main (western) facade of the cathedral:

Three portal of the main (western) facade of the cathedral(the central western (Last Judgment), northern (left) portal of the Virgin Mary and the southern (right) portal of St. Anna, mother of Mary) are decorated with magnificent sculptures. As far as I remember, all the people were let in just through the door of the right portal, that is, the portal of St. Anne, which is quite logical, given the direction of the inspection.

On both sides of the western rose window (1225) on the main facade stretches the gallery of the Kings. IN gallery of kings (La galerie des rois) presents 28 figures of biblical (Jewish) kings, the ancestors of Christ. In 1793, the figures were beheaded by revolutionaries, so that the current heads are the work of 19th-century restorers working under the direction of Viollet-le-Duc(although in 1977, during construction work in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, on the Chaussée d'Antin, 21 of the 28 heads of the kings were found, now they are on display in the medieval Cluny Museum ( Museum of Cluny); although crippled, they retained some traces of their former polychrome: red lips, rosy cheeks, black eyebrows, etc.). The height of each figure is over three and a half meters. The gates of the cathedral are decorated with a beautiful pattern of wrought iron.

Lower western façade with gallery of kings(fragment):

Above the Gallery of the Kings is the famous West facade rosette with the so-called Virgin's balcony (Le Balcon de la Vierge). The statue of the Virgin and Child surrounded by two angels was made in the 19th century under the direction of Viollet-le-Duc, replacing the original medieval figure, which had been badly damaged by time and climatic influences.

On both sides of the outlet (respectively, above the portal of the Virgin and the portal of St. Anna, at the level of the gallery (balcony) of the Virgin) are installed sculptures of Adam and Eve. These sculptures cause serious controversy among art historians; many consider their appearance on the facade Viollet-le-Duc's fundamental mistake. In ancient times, this part of the cathedral was decorated only sculpture of the Virgin Mary.

Above the central portal of the western facade Cathedral placed image doomsday (Portail du Jugement dernier). This portal with striking sculptural decoration dates back to the 13th century (1220-1230). Portal presents Last Judgment just as it is described in the Gospel of Matthew. In the center, on the interwindow pillar ( trumeau), dividing the doors of the central portal into two halves, there is a large statue of Jesus Christ, the Good Lord ( Le Beau Dieu) with the Book of Life (on the pedestal where it stands, there are figures representing the liberal arts). This figure of Christ is considered the most famous creation of the French sculptor of the XIX century. Geoffroy-Deschomas(Adolphe-Victor Geoffroy-Dechaume) (it was created from a drawing by Viollet-le-Duc).

central portal(portal of the Last Judgment) of the western facade of the cathedral:

On the sides of Christ, on the slopes of the walls of the portal, in the openings ( ebrasements) placed statues twelve apostles, six on each side: on the left pillar Bartholomew, Simon, Jacob Alfeev (the Younger), Andrew, John and Peter, on the right - Paul, Jacob Zebedee (the Elder), Thomas, Philip, Judas Thaddeus and Matthew. The apostles are facing Christ preaching on the central column. The statues of the apostles were destroyed by the revolutionaries in 1793 and subsequently recreated by Viollet-le-Duc, who restored the main facade of the cathedral to its original appearance.

At the feet of the apostles on the base of the portal, in a kind of "medallions" the virtues and vices opposite to them are presented. For example, a lamb depicts meekness, armor - strength. And let's say that such a sin as inconstancy is personified by a monk throwing his cassock into the nettle bushes. These bas-reliefs are almost 800 years old. The theme of virtues and vices is also played up in the motifs of the Western rosette.

Also on the slopes of the walls of the portal, only closer to the entrance, on the jambs of a luxurious door, there are ten figures of maidens, five on each side. The symbolism of this part of the portal is as follows: do not despair, you just need to stay awake and keep the fire in your lamp, as they do wise virgins, depicted on the left support pillar (from the side of Paradise). On the other side we see foolish virgins who no longer had any oil left in their lamps, and they did not stock up on lamp oil when they went out to meet the bridegroom. It means parable of the ten virgins given in the Gospel of Matthew. Sculptures of virgins were also recreated in the 19th century.

On the lower lintel (called in French linteau) are depicted the dead rising from their graves. They were awakened by two angels with trumpets (standing on both sides). Among the dead there is one king, one pope, warriors, women and even one African (which symbolizes the presence of all mankind at the Last Judgment).

From the first two archivolts framing the tympanum, angels watch the resurrection of the dead. Each in his own way expresses surprise at this spectacle: in the whole composition there are no two identical gestures or poses. Some figures of angels have retained traces of the former coloring, this medieval polychrome (in the following photo, note the folds of the drapery and wings):

A level higher, on the top jumper is shown archangel Michael, who weighs the souls of the dead on the scales of justice, determining those elected to Paradise ( left-hand side, that is, by right hand from Christ). Two devils, big and small, are trying to pull one side of the scale to their side. Other devils, just as ugly and horned, lead sinners on chains to hell. Fear and despair are reflected on the faces of sinners. Both lintels were reconstructed in the 19th century.

The scene of the weighing of souls and the devils that drag sinners to hell is a relief on the upper lintel (a fragment of the lower lintel with an angel announcing the beginning of the Last Judgment is also visible) (by the way, this photo clearly shows the border that separates the ancient sculptures of the 13th century (on the right) from those created in the 19th century (left)):

The scene of the weighing of souls is crowned by a small arch on which the feet of Christ rest. A sinner who does not have time to repent receives a well-deserved punishment: as shown in the right corner of the first archivolt, he flies headfirst into hell. But those who professed the faith of Christ can join the blessed souls in the "bosom of Abraham", which is indicated by the angel in the left corner of the first archivolt.

On upper gate tympanum Christ sits on the throne of the judge. He raises his hands to show his wounds. The tympanum dates back to 1210. Two angels on the sides of Christ carry the instruments of his torment: the one on the left holds a spear and nails from the cross, and the one on the right is the actual cross. At the corners of the tympanum, on the sides of the angels, we see Mary (on the left, that is, on the right hand of Christ) and the Evangelist John (on the right, on left hand Christ). These figures in kneeling poses pray for mercy to the human race.

Christ seated on the throne on the day of the Last Judgment - relief on the upper tympanum:

On the bends of the arch covering the tympanum ( voussures) - the archivolts of the portal - we see the saints and the righteous (angels, patriarchs, prophets, church fathers, martyrs and virgins), this is the so-called cour celeste, that is, the inhabitants of Paradise itself.

It is interesting, for example, the image of Abraham, who holds the souls of the righteous on a cloth lying in his arms. This is a symbol of Paradise, the very “bosom of Abraham” (you see, an angel points to Abraham, and a level higher, above the figure located to the left of Abraham, Moses sits with tablets in his hands).

Hell and its inhabitants are given very little space (to the right of the viewer). But what colorful, savory figures! Pay attention, in particular, to the figure of a pot-bellied plump devil in a crown, who tramples on three sinners: a rich man, a bishop and a king.

Other images of hellish torment and knights of the Apocalypse in this part of the portal:

The images on the archivolts date back to the 13th century, as does the upper part of the portal (tympanum). As for the rest of the sculptural design of the portal, it was recreated in the 19th century by the efforts of Viollet-le-Duc. At the same time, everyone recognizes the extraordinary quality of the restoration work carried out: the elements of the 13th century are almost impossible to distinguish from those recreated by Viollet-le-Duc and his assistants, they treated that era with such respect and care, they were so imbued with its spirit.

Interior of Notre Dame de Paris: Inside the Cathedral

1. General views

The interior decoration of Notre Dame de Paris is magnificent. A huge majestic space with beautiful works of famous sculptors. The altar screen was made by Jean Ravi ( Jean Ravy), "Pieta" was created by Nicolas Cousta ( Nicolas Coustou), and the statue of Louis XIV - Antoine Coisevox ( Antoine Coysevox). You can easily spend an hour or more on a tour of Notre Dame, even if you are exploring the cathedral on your own, without the help of a professional guide.

Interior view of the cathedral: high nave, choirs and main altar (view from the nave towards the chancel):

Location nave on the plan of the cathedral:

View of the opposite, western side, where it is located western rose window and the great organ of Notre Dame:

West rose window (La rosace ouest) (c. 1220) with the figure of the Mother of God, which is set off by bright stained-glass windows, is central stained glass window of Notre Dame. It looks huge, but is actually the smallest of the cathedral's three rosettes (the stained glass window is 9.6 meters in diameter). In the center - the figure of the Mother of God, around - seasonal rural work, signs of the zodiac, virtues and sins, as well as the prophets. The stained-glass window was almost completely redone by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century. It is now almost impossible to fully examine this stained-glass window because of the organ, but this does not matter: you can admire the no less beautiful southern and northern rose windows without hindrance.

2. Transept: stained glass rosettes and a statue of Notre Dame

In this part of the cathedral, you can admire the south and north rose windows, as well as the sculpture of Notre Dame and Child.

The location of the transept (transverse nave) on the plan of Notre Dame:

South rose window(on the right, when viewed from the entrance, i.e. from the west) ( La Rose Sud or Rose du Midi) - a huge stained glass window on the south facade of the transept, its diameter is 13 m. Part of this stained-glass window of the 13th century. preserved in its original form. The southern rosette was installed around 1260. Total number stained glass fragments of a rose: 84; the rosette consists of four concentric circles (12 medallions, 24 medallions, then 4-lobed and 3-lobed panels). Some parts of the rosette were replaced during the restoration, first in the 18th and then in the 19th century. Now many stained-glass windows of the rosette are not in their places, and it is not always possible to determine which scene originally occupied this or that part of the composition. Interestingly, during the 19th century restoration, Viollet-le-Duc rotated the rosette by 15 degrees in order to fix it on a strong vertical axis (it is believed that this somewhat blurred the initial impression of rotation preserved at the north rosette). The stained glass window depicts Christ surrounded by the apostles, as well as saints revered in France, martyrs, wise virgins...

The fourth circle of stained-glass windows depicts twenty angels with candles, wreaths and censers, as well as scenes from the New and Old Testaments (in the third and fourth circles): the flight to Egypt, the healing of the paralytic, the judgment of Solomon, the Annunciation ... In the third circle, nine beautiful surviving scenes from the life of Saint Matthew. Their origin is unknown, but experts unanimously date them to the last quarter of the 12th century. bottom two corner stained glass(ecoincons) represent, respectively, The Descent into Hell (moreover, Moses and Aaron are depicted on top, and the temptation of Adam and Eve is depicted below) (on the east side) and the Resurrection of Christ (on the western side) (on top are Saint Magdalene and Saint John, and below Saints Peter and Paul ).

stained glass rosette in the central medallion was not preserved, and Viollet-le-Duc decided to replace it with the image of the Second Coming of Christ: the sword emanating from the mouth of the Savior symbolizes the Word of God, which separates truth from falsehood. Around are the symbols of the four evangelists: an angel, an eagle, a calf and a lion, and at the feet of Christ are the Book of Life and the Lamb.

The socket rests on the belt stained glass windows (claire-voie) - sixteen high lancet stained-glass windows - " lancets”, together with which the height of the stained-glass window reaches 19 meters. All these narrow stained-glass windows depicting the prophets were created in the 19th century (1861) by the artist Alfred Gerent(or, in the English manner, Gerent) (Alfred Gerente) under the direction of Viollet-le-Duc. Following the model of Chartres Cathedral, in the center are the four great biblical prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel), who carry the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) on their shoulders, which symbolizes the connection of the Old and New Testaments.

At the southeast pillar of the transept stands Virgin and Child. This statue, brought in the XIV century. from the chapel of Saint-Aignan ( chapel Saint-Aignan), are called Notre Dame of Paris. From this part of the altar came an incredible smell of lilies, I still could not understand what it was. It turned out that the statue of Notre Dame is decorated with a lot of fresh white lilies!

We go around the altar part and go along the left side. Here you can admire north rose window(c. 1250). This is a stained-glass window of the 13th century, located at a height of 21 meters (the diameter, like that of the southern stained-glass window, is 13 meters). The stained glass window depicts the Mother of God surrounded by characters from the Old Testament. This is a true masterpiece of high (mature) Gothic. Unlike the rosette in the southern part of the transept, this stained-glass window has been preserved almost in its original form since the 13th century.

The composition of the northern rosette is very dynamic, there are no strictly vertical or horizontal elements, which creates the image of a spinning wheel. This stained glass window is dedicated to the Old Testament. The predominance of lilac and violet hues symbolizes the long night in anticipation of the Messiah. In the center are depicted the Mother of God with a baby, in medallions around - judges, prophets, kings and priests.

3. Altar partition

This is where the most beautiful stone carvings begin. This is an altar barrier La clôture du chœur). In the XIV century. Jean Ravi ( Jean Ravy) (most likely it was him, although it is not known exactly) carved a high partition from stone, separating the choir (choirs) from the nave. In the middle of the XIX century. it was restored by Viollet-le-Duc. Barrier depicts a sequential series sculptural scenes from the gospel. All are polychrome. The colors were also updated by Viollet-le-Duc's team.

The location of the choir (the altar barrier and the altar, up to the apse) on the plan of the cathedral:

Southern part of the barrier dates from the beginning of the XIV century and consists of nine scenes depicting the appearance of Jesus after the Resurrection. Unlike the scenes of the northern barrier, they are distinctly separated from each other by columns.

« Phenomenon Christ Mary Magdalene » :

« Appearance of Christ to the myrrh-bearing women » :

The scenes follow: « Phenomenon Christ to the Apostles Peter and John » ; « Appearance of Christ to the disciples on the road to Emmaus » ; « Appearance of Christ to the Eleven Apostles at the Supper (without Thomas) » ; « Appearance of Christ to the Apostle Thomas » ; « The Appearance of Christ to the Disciples on Lake Tiberias » (the last three scenes are partially visible in the following photo):

Two final scenes: « The appearance of Christ to the eleven apostles on a mountain in Galilee » And "The Appearance of Christ apostles in sunday evening, in Jerusalem » (the last appearance of Christ, which ended with His ascension to heaven):

Northern part of the barrier belongs to the last third of the 13th century. There are 14 scenes depicting the birth and life of Jesus before last days(not counting the passionate events that took place after the Last Supper: arrest, trial, scourging and execution). The scenes follow one another without interruption and form a single space.

"Visiting Saint Elizabeth"(Meeting of the Virgin Mary and the righteous Elizabeth); « Nativity and bgospel to the shepherds ; « Adoration of the Magi » :

Then come the scenes Meeting of the Lord ”(meeting in the Jerusalem Temple of the infant Jesus with the righteous elder Simeon); " Christ among sages in the temple » (« Otrok Christ among Jewish teachers » - visit of 12-year-old Jesus to the Jerusalem Temple); " Epiphany " And " Marriage at Cana of Galilee »:

The cycle ends with the scenes Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem » (Palm or Palm Sunday); " The Last Supper »; « Washing the feet of the disciples " (performed by Jesus before the Last Supper) and " Garden of Gethsemane » (Prayer for the cup):

4. Altar part, choir

In the depths of the central nave is the altar. In the altar part, behind the altar stands the famous "Pieta" - a sculpture Nicolas Custu (Nicolas Coustou) on a carved plinth by François Girardon.

On both sides of the "Pieta" there are statues of two kings: Louis XIII by the same Nicolas Custu(Nicolas Coustou) (right) and Louis XIV Antoine Coisevox (Antoine Coysevox) (left). The ensemble is surrounded by six bronze angels with tools of the Passion of Christ: a crown of thorns, nails, a sponge soaked in vinegar, a tablet INRI(“Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews”), with a whip and a lance.

After many years of fruitless marriage, Louis XIII vowed to decorate Notre Dame Cathedral if heaven sent him an heir. The future Louis XIV was born in 1638, but the fulfillment of the vow took 60 years. On the choir stalls (on both sides), carved panels from the early 18th century have been preserved ( Les stalles en bois sculpté, that is, wooden carved choir benches), depicting scenes from the life of Mary, they were just made in fulfillment of the vow of Louis XIII.

Stained-glass windows of the choir (altar part) . Behind the altar at a great height are high lancet windows with colored stained-glass windows. 19th century (the original stained-glass windows of the 13th century have been lost):

5. Chapels

It is also worth mentioning the numerous lateral (northern and southern) Chapels of Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral. They are dedicated to various saints, decorated with magnificent statues and stained-glass windows, tombstones, mausoleums and tombstones such as zhizan ( gisant) famous religious figures and other prominent people.

In the roundabout surrounding the choirs (this gallery is called deambulatory- deambulatoire) also has beautiful chapels. Five of them directly surround the altar ledge - the apse and, as it were, radiate from it (such chapels are called so: apse or radial - chapelles absidiales or chapelles-rayonnantes). This so-called crown of chapels.

Location crown of chapels on the plan of the cathedral:

At the eastern wall of the first apse chapel - Chapels of Saint Guillaume(Wilhelm) - the mausoleum is located Count Henri Claude d'Harcourt (Henri-Claude d'Harcourt) (1704-1769), lieutenant general of the royal army. The white marble headstone was made in 1776 by Jean-Baptiste Pigalle ( Jean-Baptiste Pigalle) (1714-1785). In 1771, Pigalle and the count's wife (who died in 1780 and was buried in the same chapel) signed a contract establishing the sculptural details and symbolism of the composition, called "The Reunion of the Spouses".

The composition depicts the deceased count, who, seeing his wife, rises from the grave, frees himself from the shroud, stretches out his arms towards his wife, and now the torch of Hymen is burning again. Behind the deceased count is Death with an hourglass, showing the countess that her hour has come. The countess herself is depicted in a kneeling pose at the foot of the sarcophagus and with her whole appearance expresses an impatient desire to quickly reunite with her dearest spouse. And then the guardian angel will put out the torch again.

Location of the Chapel of St. Guillaume on the plan of Notre Dame:

But, for example, the decoration of the most beautiful chapels of the Holy Communion (Chapelle du Saint-Sacrement) (1296), located at the end of the nave in the center of these five chapels (the so-called axial chapel):

Stained glass windows, statues, polychrome patterned vaults with stars...

This chapel is intended for quiet, solitary prayer (as far as possible with such a crowd of people). It is also sometimes called the Chapel of the Virgin Mary or Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows ( Chapelle de la Vierge or Chapelle de Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs).

One of the stained glass windows of the Chapel of the Holy Communion depicts the flight into Egypt:

More stained glass windows of this chapel:

The location of the chapel on the plan of Notre Dame:

Here is another beautiful stained glass window - a stained glass window of one of the side chapels of the south side (the sixth from the right side of the entrance), St Anne's Chapels (Chapelle Sainte-Anne):

In the same chapel there is a painting by a French artist of the 17th century Laurana de la Ira (Laurent de La Hyre) "Conversion of Saul (Apostle Paul)".

Location of the Chapel of St. Anne on the plan of Notre Dame:

And in one of the chapels, we found a historical model depicting the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris:

After a tour of the Notre Dame Cathedral, we returned to the Marais quarter: we went to rest on the square near the Paris City Hall ( Hotel de Ville).

Tragedy throughout France. The spire, clock and roof of the building collapsed as a result of the fire. Firefighters managed to save both bell towers of the cathedral, the flames did not affect the main shrines: the crown of thorns, the tunic of St. Louis; saved several paintings. The source of ignition, according to firefighters, was scaffolding erected in the attic of the cathedral. Recall that the restoration work began this spring, it was planned to complete the work by 2022. The fire started at 18:50 local time on April 15, according to April 16, the fire was extinguished. One firefighter was injured during the rescue operation.

The results of the fire

The President of France and his wife arrived on the scene and promised to completely restore the relic, with the assistance of "the best talents of our time." There is hope for a complete restoration, since the cathedral has been thoroughly studied, ancient drawings have been preserved.

According to preliminary estimates, the damage will cost hundreds of millions of euros. Today, the Heritage Foundation announced the launch of a national campaign to raise funds for the restoration of the cathedral, according to the latest data, 240 people donated more than 6,000 euros to the Foundation.

According to preliminary estimates, the restoration of the building may take at least 10 years.

At the moment, all residents have been evacuated from the island of Cite, for safety reasons, navigation along the Seine in the vicinity of the island is prohibited.

The Paris prosecutor's office is investigating unintentional damage during the fire.

A place of "incredible power" - this is what the Parisian guides call the cathedral, who acquaint people with its history and architecture. And legends add a mystical spirit to the object.

Photos of the cathedral

On the tympanum above the door is a scene of Christ blessing the Virgin Mary, while an angel places the royal crown on her head. The upper part depicts Saint-Marcel, Bishop of Paris in the 5th century. His remains are considered one of the most precious shrines of the cathedral and rest on top of the cathedral choirs in full view of all parishioners.

On the left side, above the doorway, there is a sculptural panel depicting how the bishop conducts the ceremony of baptism and Holy Communion - the two most important sacraments for Christians of all denominations. On the right side, he sits on the pulpit, preaching. His face expresses spiritual triumph over the devil.

Notre Dame Statue - Vierge à l'Enfant "Notre Dame de Paris"

At the southeast pillar of the transept or transverse nave, to the right of the main altar, one can see a statue of the Virgin Mary with a baby in her arms. She is called Notre Dame of Paris. The statue was brought in the 19th century from the chapel of Saint-Aignan on the Ile de la Cité.

This is the most famous and revered sculpture of the Virgin Mary of the 27 similar statues presented at Notre Dame. The period of its creation refers to the XIV century. Installed in 1855 instead of the ancient sculpture of the miraculous Black Virgin, which disappeared without a trace during the years of the revolution.

A bluish light emanates from the sculpture, and a large number of white lilies, with which the Virgin Mary is adorned, exude an amazing aroma. All this is arranged as a sign of the deepest worship.

Transept - Transept

IN church architecture"transept" is called the transverse nave in churches built in the form of a cross or basilica, which crosses the central longitudinal nave at a right angle. The extreme borders of the transept form apses extending beyond the main part of the building, the transept protrudes 2 meters. They coincide in height with the main nave, but the transept differs in that it consists of four tiers.

The transept was completed by 1258. Significant sights are located here, such as the south and north stained-glass rose window, the statue of Notre Dame and Child, the portal of St. Stephen and the Red Gate portal, as well as the main altar. In one of the branches of the transept, you can admire two female figures of the patron saints of France - Saint Joan of Arc and Saint Teresa - the patroness of the baby Jesus, as well as the statue of Saint Dionysius by Nicolas Coust. Many statues were recreated already in the 19th century.

Near the statue of the Virgin Mary, there is a tablet that says that the famous trial that acquitted Joan of Arc took place in this cathedral. And a small bronze plate in the floor informs that the famous poet Paul Claudel received here catholic faith in 1886.

South rose window - Rose sud

On the south facade of the transept there is a huge stained-glass window in the shape of a rose, the diameter of which is 13 meters. It was originally installed in the 13th century. Some part of the stained-glass window has survived to this day in its original form, the rest of the parts were replaced during the restoration work carried out in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The rosette itself consists of 84 stained-glass fragments, which are laid out in the form of four circles: 24 medallions, 12 medallions, 4-lobed and 3-lobed panels. It is known that during the reconstruction, which took place in the 19th century, Viollet-le-Duc turned the southern rosette by 15 degrees in order to fix it on a solid vertical axis. For this reason, many fragments are not in their original places, and now it is not easy to determine which part of the window was originally occupied by a particular scene.

The stained glass rose depicts Jesus Christ, surrounded by the apostles and other saints revered in France, martyrs and wise virgins.

In the fourth circle, twenty angels are depicted on different fragments holding wreaths, candles and censers in their hands, as well as events from the New and Old Testaments are depicted.

The third circle invites us to get acquainted with nine scenes from the life of St. Matthew, which date back to the last quarter of the 12th century and have been perfectly preserved to this day.

In the central medallion, the original stained-glass fragment was not preserved, so Viollet-le-Duc replaced it with an image of the second coming of Christ: a sword was put into the mouth of the Savior, symbolizing the Word of God, which is intended to separate truth from falsehood. At the feet of Christ lies the Book of Life, and around it are the symbols of the four evangelists: an angel, an eagle, a lion, a calf.

The two lower corner elements tell of the descent into Hell and the resurrection of Christ.

The rose rests on a peculiar belt of 16 lancet stained-glass windows, together with which the total height of the stained-glass window reaches 19 meters. Prophets are depicted on these narrow plates. It was created in 1861 by the artist Alfred Gerent under the direction of Viollet-le-Duc.

Portal of Saint Stephen - Portail Saint-Etienne

On the south side of the transept, facing the embankment of the Seine towards the Latin Quarter, there is a portal that was consecrated in the name of the martyr Saint Stephen. It was built in the 13th century by the architects Jean de Chell and Pierre de Montreuil. In the past, this passage led to the residence of the bishop, the successor of the holy martyr Denis.

The main decoration of the portal is a tympanum, on which episodes of the life and martyrdom of St. Stephen are depicted in stone, as well as scenes from the everyday life of students at the University of Paris. Saint Stephen was the patron saint of the first Parisian cathedral.

Looking at the sculptural composition from right to left and up, you can see how St. Stephen preached to the Jewish authorities and people, and subsequently appeared before the court, was stoned to death, buried and blessed by Christ. The scene in which two clergymen carry a prayer book and consecrated water after the traditional service is noteworthy. This serves as proof that the same holy traditions are observed over time.

North rose window - Rose nord

On the left side of the main altar, on the northern facade of the transept, there is an amazingly beautiful stained glass rose window. It can be called a true masterpiece of high Gothic of the XIII century. Unlike the southern rosette, this stained-glass window has survived almost intact, since 85% of the mosaic is an original work of art by medieval masters.

The northern rose window is located at a height of 21 meters, its diameter is 13 meters. The plot composition depicts the Mother of God with a baby surrounded by characters from the Old Testament. In the central part of the stained glass rosette is placed the Virgin Mary with the newborn Jesus in her arms, and around her are medallions with images of judges, prophets, kings and high priests.

The predominance of lilac and violet shades in the color palette of the mosaic elements symbolizes a long, anxious night in anticipation of the birth of the Messiah.

The composition of the northern rosette is in a kind of movement: stained glass fragments are not arranged along strict vertical and horizontal lines, thus creating the image of a spinning wheel. Illuminated by the rays of the sun, the rose window of the north transept illuminates the dark walls of the nave with bright colors, filling the interior of the temple with divine light.

Portal of the Red Gate - Portail du Cloître

The portal on the north side of the transept is called the Red Gate. Previously, he served as a passage to the monastery, located next to the Notre Dame Cathedral.

The central pillar of the portal depicts the Virgin Mother, a genuine statue of the 13th century. She was here initially from the moment of her creation, but the baby, unfortunately, was destroyed. Reminiscent of the famous statue of Notre Dame of Paris of the XIV century, installed inside the cathedral, the Virgin of the portal is still more regal and majestic.

On the tympanum above the gate there is a sculptural scene of the coronation of Mary in the presence of King Louis IX Saint and Queen Margaret of Provence. A little higher are scenes from the childhood of Jesus Christ: the Nativity, his appearance in the temple, the killing of babies and the flight to Egypt.

The archivolts show episodes of miracles that happened to Saints Theophilus and Marcel. In one of the scenes, Saint Marcel extracts the devil in the form of a dragon from the body of a dead sinner. The other shows the divine power of Mary, contained in her son-savior. The story of how Theophilus, having sold his soul to the devil in order to secure the place of the bishop's successor, is impressive, later repented and began to pray to the Virgin. And she broke this agreement, saving Theophilus from the devil's embrace. In the uppermost part above the portal, a bishop is depicted telling a story for the edification of believers.

Separate parts of the original statues that adorned these gates - figures of the Magi and virtues - are exhibited in the Cluny Museum.

Main altar - Autel principal

At the entrance to the choirs there is a raised liturgical platform with a modern bronze altar by French sculptors Jean and Sebastian Touré placed on it. Its consecration took place in 1989.

Following the model of the cathedral in Chartres, on the sides of the main altar are the figures of the four biblical prophets - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.

In front are the four evangelists - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. As conceived by the creators, this sculptural group symbolizes the connection between the Old and New Testaments.

Since the Second Council in the Vatican, Mass has been celebrated near the entrance to the choir, with the priest facing the congregation, as the Pope always did in St. Peter's Church in Rome.

Side naves - Bas-côtés

Notre Dame Cathedral, in the architectural sense, is a basilica with galleries and double side naves, which are divided in half by longitudinal rows of giant columns. Such additional rows of pillars turn a three-aisled basilica into a five-aisled one. This feature makes the cathedral a much more valuable architectural monument. In the Middle Ages, Gothic cathedrals with double side naves were not built often; tapestries were simply hung in the openings of the arcades.

On the sides of the naves there are seven chapels, going from the fourth to the tenth span. These chapels contain paintings and sculptures on religious themes, which were created to order by the best masters of France. They are presented to the cathedral every year on the first day of May, following a centuries-old tradition associated with Parisian goldsmiths. And in one of the chapels you can see a historical model that clearly demonstrates the progress of the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Nave - Nef

The central nave is an elongated room of ten spans, bounded on both longitudinal sides by a row of columns separating it from the side aisles. The vaults of the nave rise to a height of 33 meters, and its width is 12 meters.

The height of the nave of Notre Dame Cathedral has three levels:

• In the lower tier there are round, polished columns with capitals in the form of skillful wreaths of acanthus leaves.
• In the second tier there are arched openings separated from each other by thin columns.
• On both sides of the third tier, rows of elongated lancet windows lined up, necessary for the penetration of daylight.

Thanks to this, the ceiling, built in the form of a six-petalled stone vault, is clearly visible.

The interior space of the nave seems to be much larger than in an ordinary parish church. The creators of the cathedral, thereby, tried to recreate the image of heavenly Jerusalem, which is described in detail in the Bible. The architectural elements of the Gothic style add sophistication and grace to the interior, creating a feeling of touching the heavens, which was not always inherent. Romanesque architecture earlier period.

On both sides of the nave, carved wooden benches from the early 18th century, depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, have been preserved in the choir stalls. They were made specially, as a tribute, in the name of the royal vow of Louis XIII.

Every day, a large number of parishioners gather here for services. A mysterious twilight reigns inside the cathedral. In the course of a large-scale restoration, for better lighting, new windows were additionally made in the side walls of the nave.

Grand Organ - Grand orgue

Under the western rose window is the famous organ of Notre Dame Cathedral. It is not only the largest organ in France, but also one of the largest musical instruments in the world. Today the organ consists of 109 registers and about 7800 pipes.

The first organ was installed in the cathedral in 1402. A new building in the Gothic style was specially designed for it. Since this tool could not completely fill the entire vast space of the cathedral, in 1730 Francois-Henri Clicquot completed its completion. At the same time, the organ acquired its current body in the style of Louis XVI. In the 1860s, the famous 19th-century French organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Colle made a complete reconstruction of it, and the baroque instrument received an unusual romantic sound. In the future, the large organ was subjected to various restructurings and replacements several times, but in 1992 the control of the instrument was computerized, and a fiber optic cable was connected to it.

Many famous names have accompanied this organ over the centuries, among them Perotina, the inventor of polyphonic music in the thirteenth century, Campra, Daquin, Armand-Louis Couperin, César Franck, Camille Saint-Saëns, and more recently Louis Vierna and Pierre Cochereau. The position of titular organist of Notre Dame Cathedral is considered one of the most prestigious in France.

You can listen to the sound of a large organ absolutely free of charge every week during Sunday mass.

West Rose Window - Rose ouest

The west rose window is the central stained glass window in Notre Dame de Paris. It was created in 1220 and is the oldest rosette in the cathedral. The stained glass rose appears huge, but its diameter is only 9.6 meters, making this mosaic the smallest of the cathedral's three rosettes.

Harmoniously located in the center of the western facade, it consists of three circles around a central medallion depicting the Mother of God and the baby Jesus. In the first belt from the center there are twelve "minor" prophets, followed by 12 agricultural works by seasons, which correspond to 12 signs of the zodiac.

In the upper circle on the medallions it is shown how the twelve virtues in the form of warriors armed with spears oppose the twelve vices.

To this day, most of the original fragments of the mosaic of the west window have not survived, and the stained glass window itself was almost completely changed by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century. It is also impossible to fully consider the rosette on the window, since it is partially covered by a large organ.

West Façade - Façade occidentale

The construction of this facade began under Bishop Ed de Sully in 1200, the third architect to work on the construction of the cathedral. This work was continued by his successors, in particular, Guillaume d'Auvergne, and after 1220, the construction was continued by the fourth architect. The north tower was completed in 1240 and the south tower in 1250.

The western facade is the epitome of grandeur, simplicity and harmony. Its strength and power is based on the relationship between vertical and horizontal lines. Four powerful buttresses rush to the tops of the towers, raising them to heaven. Their symbolic meaning is that this temple is dedicated to God. And two wide horizontal stripes seem to return the building back to our mortal earth, being proof that this cathedral also belongs to people.

The dimensions of the western facade are also impressive: 41 meters wide, 43 meters to the base of the towers, 63 meters to the top of the towers.

In the center, next to the Gallery of the Virgin, there is a large rose with a diameter of 9.6 meters, created in 1225, which forms a halo above the head of the statue of the Virgin and Child, which is surrounded by two angels. On both sides of the stone rose are statues of Adam and Eve, which remind us of original sin. They were placed here at the initiative of Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century.

Under the balustrade is a wide horizontal frieze called the Gallery of the Kings. Here are 28 figures of the Jewish kings, the forefathers of Christ. The height of each figure is more than three meters. This sculptural composition indicates that Mary was a mortal woman, a representative of the human race, and gave birth to Jesus, who was both man and God. During the revolution of 1793, the stone figures were decapitated, so the restorers of the 19th century had to restore them. Most of the original surviving heads of the kings are now on display in the medieval Cluny Museum.

On the lower level of the facade there are three large portals, which differ significantly from each other. The central portal is known as the Doomsday Portal and is taller and wider than the others. To the right of it is the Portal of St. Anne, and to the left is the Portal of the Holy Virgin. The doors of the gates are decorated with an amazing pattern of wrought iron, and the facade of the portals is decorated with many characters. There are 4 statues on the buttresses: on the south side - the figure of the deacon of St. Stephen, on the north side - the bishop of Saint-Denis, and on the sides of the central portal there are two allegories - a synagogue and a church.

Portal of St. Anne - Portail Sainte-Anne

The southern aisle on the right side of the western façade is called the Portal of Saint Anne, she was the mother of the Virgin Mary. It belongs to the XIII century and is the earliest among other portals.

On the tympanum, in its upper part, Madonna Maesta is depicted, seated on a throne under a canopy. On opposite sides of it were the angels and the builders of the temple - Bishop Maurice de Sully and the kneeling King Louis VII. These statues were created for the church of St. Mary, which previously stood on the site of the cathedral, and then they were transferred to the portal. The lower part of the tympanum depicts scenes from the lives of Joachim and Anna.

On the central pillar of the portal between the doors is a statue of Saint Marcel, bishop of Paris in the 5th century. Saint Marcel was the forerunner of Saint Genevieve. These two figures before the revolution were very revered among the faithful Parisians. They became famous for their bold, inventive and effective works aimed at charity. In addition, like all true fighters for justice, they were highly spiritual personalities, sacredly observing all the sacraments and prayers.

Portal of the Last Judgment - Portail du Jugement

This portal was erected in 1220-1230. It is located in the center of the western facade, striking with its magnificent sculptural decoration. Here is the Last Judgment as it is described in the Gospel of Matthew.

In the center of the tympanum is depicted Christ sitting on a throne in glory, on both sides of him are angels with instruments of the Passion and kneeling figures of John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary, who pray for sinners. Under the figure of Christ is depicted a heavenly city - New Jerusalem. To the right of him are the figures of the righteous, headed by the Archangel Michael with scales for human souls in their hands. On the other side, devils take sinners to Hell. The Resurrection scene is shown at the very bottom of the tympanum.

The archivolts depict a variety of saints, women and men, who make up the hierarchy of the Powers of Heaven. On the side pilasters at the gates themselves there are figurines of virgins, five on each side, personifying the "Parable of the Ten Virgins".

On the pilaster that divides the portal into two gates, there is another statue of Christ. He is surrounded by twelve apostles, six on each side. At their foot, on the base of the portal, virtues and vices are represented in small medallions.

Many of the statues that adorned the Portal of the Last Judgment were destroyed during the revolution and subsequently recreated by Viollet-le-Duc, who restored the western façade to its original appearance.

Portal of the Virgin - Portail de la Vierge

The northern portal on the left side of the western façade of Notre Dame Cathedral is called the Portal of the Holy Virgin. It is decorated with statues from the 12th-13th centuries.

On the central pilaster is the figure of the Madonna and Child. The tympanum depicts scenes of the Assumption and Coronation of the Virgin Mary.
On one of the sculptural compositions you can see how the completion took place life path Mary on earth. The term "dormition" in the Christian dictionary means death. The dead will fall asleep, but on the Last Day Christ will awaken them for the general resurrection, just as the Lord resurrected him on Easter morning. symbolizing connection with Old Testament, at the deathbed of Mary, the twelve apostles settled down, who laid the Ark of the Covenant, where the tablets of the Covenant are located, which serve as a type of the holy Virgin, in whom the word became flesh.

Another storyline depicts the scene of the coronation of the Virgin after her resurrection into heaven. She solemnly sits on the royal throne, and the son Jesus blesses her, while the angel places the crown on the head of Mary.

Allegorical figures of twelve months are placed on the side pilasters, various saints and angels are placed on the archivolts.

Legends of Notre Dame Cathedral

For many, Notre Dame is a universal reference book of esotericism. And there is nothing surprising in the fact that the majestic building, which has a long history, like in a shroud, is wrapped in countless legends.

The legend of the blacksmith

The legends of the famous cathedral meet Parisians and thousands of tourists right at the gate. The expression "sell your soul to the devil" is used not figuratively, but in the literal sense of the word, when it comes to the master who forged the gates for the cathedral.

Millennia later, people admire the magic of intricate patterns on the gates with joyful admiration. I can’t believe that such a perfect, incomprehensible beauty could be created by a person.

At the beginning of the 2nd millennium, Bishop Maurice de Sully decided to build a grandiose cathedral, which was supposed to outshine everything that had existed before with beauty and grandeur.

The future cathedral was assigned an honorable role: to become the spiritual stronghold of the nation and accommodate the population of the whole city. The blacksmith was entrusted with an important mission - to create a gate that would match the beauty and craftsmanship of the greatness of the building being erected.

The canon of the cathedral, having come the next morning to check how the work was progressing, found the blacksmith in an unconscious state. But in the forge lay the gate of incredible beauty. Fanciful twisted patterns and filigree ornaments intertwined on them into a single, unprecedentedly magical composition.

It was not even clear how the master managed to create this masterpiece: whether he used forging or casting to create such complex openwork patterns. But the master himself could not answer.

When he came to himself, he was gloomy, thoughtful and taciturn. When the gates were installed and locks were fixed on them, it turned out that no one, including the blacksmith, could open them. Suspecting something was wrong, the castles were sprinkled with holy water, and only after that the gates were let into the church by the astonished servants.

The brilliant master himself soon lost the power of speech and quickly descended into the grave. So they did not have time to extort from him the secret of creating the gate. Some logically assumed that the master simply did not want to reveal the secrets of professional skill.
But rumors and legends reported that there was a deal with the devil. The blacksmith was forced to make such a deal: to sell his soul in exchange for talent.

Be that as it may, but the incomprehensible beauty of the main gate of the temple can really raise doubts that they were created without any intervention of extraterrestrial forces.

The Legend of the Nails of the Holy Cross

Of the four cross nails that were used in the crucifixion of Christ, two are stored in France. One of the nails is in Notre Dame itself. The other is in the church of St. Siffredio, which is located in the city of Carpentras. All sorts of miracles are attributed to this nail.

The miraculous nail was found in Jerusalem by the mother of the Byzantine emperor Constantine and transported to Rome. Elena, the mother of the emperor, is not in vain revered by Orthodox Christians around the world: she saved and preserved many holy relics associated with the life and death of Jesus and the Mother of God. In particular, with her help, the cross was found, on which the Lord was executed.

Believing in the miraculous power of the cross nail, Elena ordered that a bit be made from it for her son's horse. She believed that the power contained in the nail would keep the emperor safe on the battlefield. In 313, Constantine, having defeated Lucinius, put an end to the persecution of Christians and converted to Christianity himself.

Centuries later, the bit ended up in the Cathedral of Carpentras. The nail from this cathedral was a mystical symbol and a talisman of the city during the time of the plague.

Their mission also included the search for the treasured casket. The rumor that the casket was either found by them, or transferred to the Templars by the secret keepers of the relic, spread throughout France.

In any case, after their return to their homeland, the construction of Chartres Cathedral began. It was destined to become the most majestic and mysterious cathedral in the world.

The altar - "holy place" is located between the second and third columns of the cathedral. If you count down from this place 37 meters down, you can find the ancient well of the Druids (lower point). And at the same distance from the altar is highest point Cathedral - the spire of the main column.

This place with dots located symmetrically at the same distance from the main shrine has some kind of magical power. Those who have been there have indelible impressions. It seems that the cathedral transmits a double energy to a person.

Earth energy rises from the bottom of the temple. The energy of heaven descends from above. A person receives such a portion of concentrated pure energy that he is instantly transformed, both physically and spiritually.

Legend of the Sky Symbol

For a medieval dweller, everything he saw was only a reflection of the higher world, invisible to the human eye. Therefore, the entire architecture of the Middle Ages was encrypted into symbols. It is not easy to unravel all this symbolism of geometry, symmetry, mathematics, astrological symbols hidden in the architecture of Notre Dame.

On its central round stained-glass window (rosette) are depicted zodiac signs and zodiacal symbols are carved from stone next to the figure of the Virgin Mary. This composition is interpreted as a symbol of the annual zodiac cycle.

But the zodiacal cycle begins with the sign of Taurus, while on the stained glass window it originates with the sign of Pisces. And this corresponds not to Western, but to Hindu astrology.

The sign of Pisces corresponds to Venus, based on Greek traditions. But the fish was also a symbol of Jesus Christ. The Greek word "ichthus" (fish) in its first letters contained the phrase: "Jesus Christ, God's son."

Gallery of 28 Jewish kings reproduces lunar cycle. But - again, the mystery of Notre Dame: there were only 18 kings, while the lunar cycle consists of 28 days.

legend of the bell

The bells on the towers of the cathedral have their own names and voices. The oldest of them has the name Belle. And the largest - Emmanuel weighs 13 tons.
All bells, with the exception of the last one, ring daily in the morning and evening. Emmanuel, due to his gravity, is not so easy to swing. Therefore, they are used only in the most solemn occasions.

But, if you believe the legends, then once the cathedral served as a haven for a person who could single-handedly rock this gigantic structure. His name was Quasimodo, he was the bell ringer of Notre Dame.

There is also a beautiful legend related to the creation of this bell. When at one time they wanted to cast it from bronze, Parisians in love with Notre Dame threw their gold and silver jewelry into the molten bronze. That is why the voice of the bell had no equal in beauty and purity of sound.

Legend of the Philosopher's Stone

Esotericists consider Notre Dame to be a kind of body of occult knowledge. The architecture and symbolism of the cathedral have been trying to decipher various researchers of the occult since the beginning of the 17th century.

It is said that ancient alchemists helped the famous architects of the cathedral with their knowledge. And somewhere in the geometry of the building the secret is encoded philosopher's stone. Anyone who can unravel it in countless sculptural moldings will be able to turn any other substance into gold.

And if you manage to decipher the ancient teaching, which, according to the followers of the occult, is encoded in frescoes, then you can comprehend all the secrets of the universe and gain unlimited power over the world.

Tower ticket prices:

• Adult: 8,50 Euro
• Persons from 18-25 years old: 6,50 Euro