Notre Dame was built in the 13th century after the previous church on site became too small for the city of Paris. Being a huge fan of Disney movies and having been obsession with The Hunchback of Notre Dame as a child, I knew I had to visit this cathedral. Upon enter the cathedral my gaze fell upon the glowing golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling in perfect symmetry. The stained glass windows are nothing short of remarkable as well. They depict beautiful scenes that burst with color. The circular stained glass windows, called the rose windows are considered one of the masterpieces in Christian art. The south rose window was a gift from King St. Louis, while the north rose window (built in 1250) has kept the largest section of original stained-glass.
Where the statue named Our Lady of Paris sits, used to sit a 13th century statue but during the French Revolution it was knocked down & broken. Therefore, Our Lady replaced it. One of the things I found most interesting is that on the Fridays of Lent, Good Friday, & the first Friday on the month the faithful for veneration present relics of the Passion of Christ. These include a fragment of the "true cross" identified in Jerusalem, a nail from the cross, and the Crown of Thorns brought to Paris by King St. Louis on August 18th 1239.
In front of the rose window to the west is the world famous Great Organ. Organists from all over the world come to play this prestigious instrument. It is a privileged to all musicians that get the chance to hear its haunting melody echoing through the cathedral.
The Notre Dame has so much history and if you'd like to know more when you visit you can buy a very handy booklet in 9 different languages that tells you more about the history and each piece inside of the cathedral. When visiting Paris this is not one of those attractions you can pass. There is no cathedral in the world like Notre Dame.
RSS Feed
