Notre-Dame de Paris, the most visited monument in the world!

The architecture of Notre-Dame de Paris is a blend of primitive and radiant Gothic, a mixture of styles due to the length of time it took to build it, from 1163 to the middle of the 14th century. At the end of its construction, it wasone of the largest cathedrals in the West. It also played an important role in the history of France in the Middle Ages, when it was a royal parish church, and in 1239 welcomed the arrival of the Holy Crown under Napoleon, who was crowned emperor here in 1804. More recently, it was the scene of the funerals of Adolphe Thiers, Sadi Carnot, General de Gaulle and François Mitterrand. Notre-Dame was also the setting for the Te Deum celebrating the liberation of Paris in 1944.

Before the great cathedral we know today was built, the site on which Notre-Dame de Paris stands must have been the site of a Gallo-Roman pagan temple dedicated to Jupiter at the beginning of the Christian era. This pagan temple was later replaced by a large early Christian basilica dedicated to Saint-Etienne.

In 1160, work began on a new building, much larger than the previous one, ordered by Bishop Maurice de Sully, whose architectural lines were to reflect the new Gothic art. The foundation stone was laid in 1163 by Pope Alexander III in the presence of King Louis VII. Construction work continued for over a century and a half, finishing in 1345.

But the result was well worth the effort. With its two majestic 69-metre-high towers, slender 67-metre-high spire, slender buttresses, stained glass windows and great organs, Notre-Dame de Paris remains one of the capital's most fascinating buildings. Since 1935, the relics of Saint Geneviève and Saint Denis have been kept in the spire. Visitors could climb 422 steps to admire the fabulous panorama of Paris!

On 15 April 2019, at around 6.30pm, Notre-Dame de Paris was damaged by a devastating fire, before the stunned eyes of Parisians witnessing the scene. The whole world watched helplessly as the flames engulfedone of the capital's most beautiful buildings. The fire started in the attic, destroying most of the roof and causing colossal damage.

Within a few hours, the flames rapidly engulfed the monument's emblematic spire, and it took the fire brigade 15 long hours to bring them under control. Investigators believe that the fire was the result of an accident. Following this tragic event, the forecourt of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral was closed due to lead pollution linked to the fire, but it has been accessible again since 31 May 2020.

Although the roof and spire were engulfed in flames, several elements were saved. This is particularly true of the two belfries and the main entrance doors, which visitors can still admire from the cathedral forecourt. Inside, the relics of the Passion of Christ, the altar, the great organ, the three 13th-century rose windows and some of the paintings were spared by the fire.

On the evening of the tragedy, the Fondation du Patrimoine launched a fundraising campaign for the reconstruction of the cathedral, which has since raised several hundred million euros. According to President Emmanuel Macron **the work should take five years and be completed in 2024

**.

Notre-Dame de Paris is one of the most visited monuments in the world, and for good reason! Be sure to check it out on your next trip to Paris!

🚌 How do I get to Notre-Dame de Paris?

Near Notre-Dame de Paris, Cité and Saint-Michel stations are served by metro line 4, while line 10 stops at Cluny - La Sorbonne and Maubert-Mutualité stations. Châtelet is served by lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14 as well as RER lines A, B and D, while Hôtel de Ville is served by metro lines 1 and 11. RER lines B and C also run to Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame station. Hop-on hop-off buses and the Batobus also serve Notre-Dame de Paris. Several Velib' stations are also available nearby.

⏰ Timetable for Notre-Dame de Paris

Notre-Dame de Paris is closed during renovation work, with only the forecourt accessible. Before the fire, the cathedral was open every day from 8am to 6.45pm and until 7.15pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

👛 Price of Notre-Dame de Paris

Admission to Notre-Dame de Paris is free, but there is a charge to visit the towers and crypt. Here are the rates that were in place before the fire:

Tower rates :

• Tours - full price: €10
• Tours - under-18s and under-26s from EU countries: free
• Tours - **Paris Museum Pass:** free

Crypt rates :

• Crypt - full price: €8
• Crypt - under-18s and under-26s from EU countries: free
• *Crypt - ***Paris Museum Pass***:*** free