History of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Description of Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame de Paris is located in the heart of Paris. For many centuries, the Catholic church amazes people with its grace, splendor and monumentality.

The construction of the cathedral began during the reign of Louis YII in 1163. Bishop Maurice de Sully initiated the construction. Historians believe that the ruined St. Stephen's Basilica and other buildings served as the foundation:

1. Romanesque Cathedral
2. Carolingian Cathedral
3. paleo christian church

The work lasted almost two centuries, which indicates that there were many participants in the construction, but almost no information about them has been preserved. The names of the architects who started the construction are known - Jean de Chelle and Pierre de Montreuil. The construction of the temple proceeded slowly.

Despite the fact that parishioners rich and poor, nobles and commoners tried to help the construction by donating feasible sums, there was not enough money. The construction proceeded in stages: the walls were completed by 1177, the altar was built (and consecrated by Cardinal Albano) in 1182. By the end of the 12th century, a lead roof was installed, towers were erected in 1245, and interior decoration was completed in 1315. The end of the construction is considered to be 1345.

Since that time, there have been no major restorations, the building has deteriorated, especially during the revolution there was a lot of destruction. The figures of the Jewish kings were removed and beheaded, the stained-glass windows were broken, and the artistic carving was also damaged. At the very end of the 18th century, the Convention issued a decree according to which believers were obliged to pay money for the needs of the revolution, otherwise the temple would be destroyed. The inhabitants managed to defend their shrine, but Robespierre declared it a stronghold of obscurantism and renamed it the Temple of Reason.

Interesting fact: sculptures of kings were discovered during construction works Ah, at the end of the 20th century. As it turned out, the former owner of the house, who lived at the turn of the XYIII-XIX centuries, acquired the statues and buried them with honors. In 1802 the cathedral was returned catholic church and re-consecrated. In the 19th century, they began to repair the structure, led by the architect Viollet-le-Duc - they restored stained-glass windows, sculptures, erected a new spire, and installed sculptures of chimeras. The Catholic church was the place of weddings of royal persons, burial places, meetings of parliament. Here the destitute found lodging for the night and criminals were protected.

Appearance

The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris is individual and unique. The cathedral was built for about two hundred years, many architects took part in the work, so the building styles are different - Gothic and Romanesque. The temple is a basilica with side double naves, a construction that was hardly used before. The height of the temple is 35 m, the length is 130 m, the width is 48 m. The weight of the bell tower, located on the south side, is 13 tons. The facade is vertically divided into three parts, horizontally divided by galleries into three rows, the facade is crowned by two towers.

The first tier has three portals, they depict the Mother of God, St. Anna and pictures of the Last Judgment. Above the entrance there is a panel with scenes from the Gospel, statues of saints are installed above the arches. Above stretches the Gallery of Kings with 28 figures of the Jewish kings. The stained-glass windows, almost entirely recreated in the 19th century, add beauty and brightness to the building. The main stained-glass window (rose) remains from the Middle Ages and has been partially restored. It depicts the image of the Mother of God and other paintings, including the virtuous and sinful deeds of people. Two roses on the sides are considered the largest in Europe, their diameter is 13 m.

The cathedral is crowned with a 96-meter spire covered with lead plates. Nearby are sculptures of the apostles, divided into four groups. An animal was placed near each saint, which is a symbol of the evangelist. The statues are set facing Paris, and only Thomas, who is considered the patron saint of builders, looks at the spire.

Gargoyles

The bright decoration of the facade, gargoyles, were installed in the 13th century. These are demonic creatures that look like large dragons. They are well preserved, as they are made of durable limestone quarried in the Seine River basin. Translated from Old French means "throat". In the Gothic, gargoyles were designed to drain rainwater, and gutters made of stone or metal were installed in them to hide their unattractiveness.

Chimeras are evil demonic creatures, usually depicted as demons, fabulous birds or animals with wings like bats. Embodies human sins. The architect Viollet-le-Duc decided to install them during a major restoration. He himself made sketches of monsters and sculptors under the direction of Geoffroy Dechaumes embodied them in stone. One of the popular chimeras is Strix, a half-woman, half-bird, who, according to legend, fed on the blood of babies. Interestingly, if a living person is photographed with them, he seems to be stone statues, and gargoyles and chimeras are full of life.

Interior decoration

The internal space of Gothic architecture is created thanks to the transverse and longitudinal naves, forming the shape of a cross. There are no internal supporting structures in the room, they are replaced by two rows of columns. The walls of the cathedral are decorated with artistic carvings. In one part of the cathedral, sculptures, paintings and other works of art are collected, which are presented by parishioners on May 1, the Catholic holiday dedicated to the Mother of God.

Under the high tier there are sculptures of the rulers of the Old Testament. The original figures were destroyed and replaced with copies. The organ is famous - it was equipped in the Middle Ages during the construction of the temple, the largest in Europe. It has been reconstructed and rebuilt many times. The spiral staircase leads to the South Tower of the temple, which offers a grandiose panorama of the city, from a close distance it is convenient to view the bell, gargoyles and chimeras.

The center of the long nave is decorated with compositions telling about scenes from the Lives of the Saints. The interior of the temple is made of gray-steel stone. Since, according to the Gothic canons, the walls are not decorated with wall paintings, the somewhat gloomy picture is enlivened by the sunlight that enters through the colored stained-glass windows and lancet windows, giving the temple colors and brightness. The chapels located on the sides tell about the earthly life of the Mother of God. The central stained-glass window contains dozens of scenes from the Old Testament.

The novel that glorified the cathedral

By the 19th century, the Cathedral was so dilapidated that it was about to be demolished. Publication in 1831 of the novel French writer Victor Hugo's "Notre Dame Cathedral" contributed to his salvation. The novelist wrote about good and evil, love and hate. The idea did not come about by chance - Hugo was an ardent defender of ancient architecture and his activities are aimed at protecting it. The chapter of the novel "The Cathedral of Our Lady" talks about the structure, describing its beauty. The writer expresses concern, rightly believing that humanity may lose a unique building.

The heroine is a gypsy named Esmeralda. The clergyman Claude Frollo, the ringer Quasimodo, a pupil of the archdeacon, and the captain, Phoebus de Chateauper, were carried away by the beauty. Frollo passionately fell in love with a girl, tried to seduce her, but was refused. The enraged priest orders Quasimodo to kidnap Esmeralda, which is prevented by Captain Chateauper. Young people liked each other, they had a date. During the meeting, blinded by jealousy, Frollo injures Phoebus and accuses the girl of the crime. She is sentenced to death.

Quasimodo hid Esmeralda in the cathedral (God's temple, according to the laws of Catholicism, is a refuge where a person can hide from any offense) in order to save her from the gallows. Esmeralda could not fall in love with the ugly hunchback, but she was imbued with friendly feelings for him. The ending is tragic - Esmeralda dies, the unfortunate Quasimodo takes the girl's body to the temple and also dies of grief.

Hugo's novel shocks with its tragedy, vivid images, description of Notre Dame Cathedral. They no longer talked about the destruction of the temple - they decided to restore it. Restoration of the building began in 1841 under the leadership of Viollet-le-Duc. Finished in 1864.

Museum and Treasury

The museum tells about the history of the appearance of the temple, about interesting facts related to this place, interesting exhibits are presented here - art objects, utensils. Through the museum you can go to the Treasury, it houses one of the main Christian shrines - part life-giving cross and the Crown of Thorns of the Savior. Church robes, utensils, paintings, manuscripts, and other items of artistic and historical value are exhibited.

Opening hours and ticket prices

• Monday - Friday from 08:00 to 18:45
• Saturday - Sunday from 08:00 to 19:15

Treasury:

• Monday - Friday from 09:30 to 18:00
• Saturday from 09:30 to 18:30; Sunday from 13:30 to 18:30

Admission fee (EUR):

• adults - 4; from 6 to 12 years - 1; children under 6 years old - free of charge; up to 26 years old - 2.

There are always a lot of people in this legendary place, so you will have to stand in line before entering the cathedral.

Where is it located and how to get there

The cathedral is located on Place Parvi Notre Dame, in the eastern part of the Ile de la Cité, 75004, Paris, France.

You can get there:

• by metro - to the stop "Chalet", "Cite Island" or "Hotel de Ville";
• by bus, routes - 21, 38, 47, 85 and 96.

If you are lucky enough to visit France and its beautiful capital, you can’t help but admire the Notre Dame Cathedral, this is a majestic and unforgettable sight, the impressions of which will last a lifetime. This is not only the most beautiful architecture, but also the spiritual center of Catholicism.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on the map

Address: France, Paris, 4th arrondissement, Ile de la Cité
Start of construction: 1163
Completion of construction: 1345
Architects: Jean de Chelle, Pierre de Montreuil
Height of towers (bell towers): 69 m
Main attractions: A crown of thorns, a nail (with which Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross), and part of the cross itself, the bells of the cathedral, a large organ
Coordinates: 48°51"10.7"N 2°21"00.6"E

Starting the material about the legendary Notre Dame de Paris, I would like to note right away that it will not be possible to briefly describe the history, legends, features of the architecture of the world's greatest Catholic church. It would be more correct to say even short story about this amazing place will require a lot of time.

Almost all French tour guides in Paris often say that while they tell the story of Notre Dame Cathedral and acquaint tourists with its architecture, interior decoration and priceless treasures, they cannot leave the feeling that they are in an incredible place. strength. In the cathedral, where you can see huge crowds of people almost at any time of the day, everything is really saturated with an atmosphere of mysticism and mystery.

Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre Dame de Paris)

Probably for this reason almost 14 (!) million people come to see the legendary Notre Dame Cathedral every year. This number is simply staggering, it is hardly possible to find another such cult place on our planet that, like a magnet, would attract so many people every year. Even the splendor of the Palace of Versailles and the luxury of the castles of the Loire fade before the popularity of Notre Dame de Paris, about which a lot of novels, popular science articles have been written and hundreds of documentaries have been shot.

Even in ancient times, there was a proverb that said that without exception, all roads lead to Rome, but not a single Frenchman will agree with it. The thing is that France is a country where all roads without exception lead to Notre Dame Cathedral. Moreover, since the 18th century it has been customary in this country to calculate the distance to any city not from the borders of the capital, but from its “heart”. Naturally, the heart of Paris is perhaps the most majestic cathedral in the world, Notre Dame de Paris. By the way, according to the results of archaeological research, the place on which Notre Dame Cathedral was built was considered sacred since the time when the first human settlements appeared here.

View of Notre Dame Cathedral from the river. Seine

Of course, in one material it will not be possible to tell about all the most interesting finds, but the fact that the first Christian church previously stood on the territory of the modern temple, and before it the sanctuary dedicated to the pagan god Jupiter, is a fact that deserves attention. This ancient history, inextricably linked with the place where Notre Dame Cathedral now stands, says only one thing, that the center of Paris is really a place where a person connects with higher powers.

Many travelers who came to Paris to see it with their own eyes great amount attractions and the greatest monuments of history and architecture, being near its "heart", always experience the strongest excitement.

It is also interesting that all people without exception, regardless of their religion, experience a sense of reverence for higher powers at Notre Dame de Paris. Back in the days of the Soviet Union, the lucky ones who managed to visit a capitalist country “immersed in luxury” first of all aspired not to the Eiffel Tower, but to the Notre Dame Cathedral, with which they were “familiar” only from the stories of Victor Hugo.

View of Notre Dame Cathedral from Pont du duble

Notre Dame Cathedral - the history of the construction of a majestic Gothic temple

Alas, at the moment no documentary evidence has been found about who solemnly laid the first stone in the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral. One part of historians claims that it was the Pope Alexander III, and the other part is sure that the solemn part associated with the start of the construction of the magnificent cathedral took place with the participation of the Parisian bishop Maurice de Sully. There are documents that shed light on the fact that it was thanks to Maurice de Sully that King Louis VII of France ordered the construction of the most magnificent Catholic church not only in France, but in the entire Old World, to begin in 1163. However, evidence of which of the clergy laid the "first stone", alas, is most likely irretrievably lost. This fact, at first glance, does not really matter, but only at first glance ... The thing is that in those distant times, when the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral began, a priest must have opened the construction of a Catholic church. Yes, and a huge number of issues related to the temple would have been resolved if it had been possible to find out for certain who laid the very “first stone” in the cathedral.

Be that as it may, already 19 years after the start of construction of the cathedral, its altar was consecrated: this event took place in the spring of 1182. In 1196, according to historical documents, the builders managed to completely complete the nave of Notre Dame Cathedral. Already in 1250, the construction of the majestic Catholic church was almost completely completed: it only remained to finish the finishing work and decorate the interior.

View of the Place Jean XXIII behind Notre Dame Cathedral

True, it was only in 1345 that the cathedral was completely “surrendered”. Speaking in a dry "statistical language", the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral lasted exactly 182 years. This period may seem long to some, but for those times it was a majestic building, the construction of which was completed, as modern architects would say, in record time. short time. One has only to compare the period of construction of Notre Dame de Paris and the period of construction of the legendary Cologne Cathedral, which, by the way, does not stop upsetting and decorating even today.

Speaking about the history of the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral, it is impossible not to mention the names of two brilliant architects, thanks to which it appeared, without exaggeration, an architectural wonder of the world. The main architects who developed the plan for the "heart" of Paris are Jean from Shell and Pierre from Montreil. In fairness, it should be noted that many other architects also worked on the cathedral, which is now visited by thousands of tourists every day. However, the names of most of them were forgotten and only two of them entered history: Pierre from Montreil and Jean from Shell.

View of the Notre Dame Cathedral at night from the river. Seine

Legends of Notre Dame Cathedral

A huge number of legends and myths are associated with Notre Dame Cathedral, many of which still do not let scientists and experts in the study of the paranormal sleep. One of these legends is associated with the gates of Notre Dame de Paris. In numerous ancient documents that have survived to this day, it is said that Notre Dame Cathedral, like Cologne Cathedral, was built with the help of ..., no, not God, as some thought, but the devil. A talented blacksmith by the name of Biscornet (by the way, a very real person, not a fictional one) received an order for a gate that would adorn the entrance to the majestic temple of Paris. The blacksmith spent for a long time in thinking about how they should look and how to forge them. Alas, even with great talent, he could not think of anything and turned to Satan for help.

The caretaker of the cathedral one morning came to the temple and saw a blacksmith who was lying on the ground unconscious. Right next to his body lay the most beautiful gate with intricate patterns. Naturally, these were the gates that fully corresponded to the significance and grandeur of the cathedral. They were immediately installed and locked, and then an unforeseen incident happened: it was impossible to open them! No matter what the masters did, the locks did not give in. The gates of Notre Dame Cathedral were opened only after their locks were sprinkled with holy water. An interesting fact is that even modern scientists have not been able to reveal the secret of making these wonderful gates and the appearance of patterns on them. It was impossible to make them either by casting or forging .... Biskorn never told how this miracle appeared: some argue that he did not want to admit to collusion with the devil, and experts say that the blacksmith simply did not want to reveal a unique secret.

View of the north and south towers of the cathedral

Another mystery is associated with numerous sculptures and the interior of Notre Dame Cathedral. It is rather difficult to explain the presence of terrifying gargoyles and chimeras on its roof, even if we take into account the facts that the cathedral was built in the neo-Gothic and Romanesque styles, and the statues were placed there already during the reconstruction after the French Revolution. In the interior frescoes one can read and, most importantly, understand (!) the entire Bible. The scenes from the life of Christ and his execution are so realistic that even an ardent atheist, having seen all these works of art, will surely begin to doubt his views on the existence of higher powers. By the way, many people who study the occult believe that the ancient teachings are encrypted in the frescoes and sculptures of Notre Dame de Paris, you just need to understand its code and then you can gain power over the world. There is also a legend that the architects who drew up the plan for the Cathedral of Notre Dame were assisted by alchemists who encrypted the formula of the philosopher's stone in it. Anyone who manages to read it among the numerous stucco and sculptures will be able to turn any substance into precious metals.

Notre Dame Cathedral - not an easy story

In Notre Dame de Paris, great emperors were solemnly crowned, it was in this temple that kings and queens concluded their alliances before God. Crusaders who went to war for the true God received a blessing in this cathedral. The richest people in Paris considered this place the most reliable store for valuables and deposited their innumerable treasures in the cathedral.

View of the main facade of the building on which the main stained-glass rose window is located above the entrance to the cathedral, the gallery of the Kings and the statue of the Virgin Mary with a child and angels

It was in this temple that Napoleon Bonaparte put on his head the crown of the new French Empire. It would be unfair to say that one of the most majestic Catholic churches was designed only for visiting crowned persons or the most influential people France. No, great attention in Notre Dame Cathedral was also paid to the poor, who were always happy to provide all possible assistance here.

Despite the fact that the "heart" of Paris was considered in Europe one of the main strongholds Christian faith, it, like many sights of a great country, suffered during the French Revolution. The Parisians, inspired by the speeches of the revolutionaries and, as if mad, burst into Notre Dame de Paris and caused irreparable damage to many statues. The townspeople also reached the treasury, which was almost completely plundered. Moreover, the revolutionaries decided to blow up Notre Dame Cathedral. ... Here, as many popes often mention, they intervened higher power: the rioters suddenly ran out of gunpowder. The revolutionaries were confused and decided not to blow up the cathedral, but to adapt it as a warehouse, where they began to store food supplies.

The savior of Notre Dame de Paris is considered to be Victor Hugo, whose ashes rest in the French Pantheon. It was he who, in his first novel, called on all the French, despite their political views, to treat with love and sincere respect the monuments of architecture, history and sights that beautiful France is famous for all over the world.

The main entrance to the cathedral above which is a sculptural panel of the Last Judgment

Notre Dame Cathedral - one of the greatest temples in the world

As mentioned above, about 14,000,000 people come to the cathedral every year. Its popularity is explained not only by its unique architecture and truly luxurious interior decoration. Notre Dame Cathedral is also a place where millions of Catholics make pilgrimages. The thing is that in the temple, 35 meters high and 130 meters wide, there are some of the main Christian shrines. By the way, the bell towers of the temple are much higher than itself, their height is 69 meters. In Notre Dame de Paris, the nail with which the Savior of all mankind was nailed to the cross, and part of the cross itself, are kept. In addition, in Notre Dame Cathedral, all believers can see and bow to the crown of thorns, in which Jesus Christ ascended to the place of his execution. By the way, the crown of thorns was purchased for a huge sum by the king of France from the Roman emperor back in 1238. As it becomes clear from the history of the cathedral described above, one of the main shrines came to France even before the construction of the "heart" of Paris was completed.

Throughout the history of its existence, the treasury of the cathedral has been constantly replenished with various gifts, among which you can find unique exhibits dating from the beginning of our era, and which simply cannot be valued in monetary terms. Many of these gifts are not only of historical value, they are shrines, which are worshiped by millions of pilgrims.

Statues on the central portal of the cathedral

Many tourists who first came to the Notre Dame Cathedral are surprised that there is not a single wall painting on the walls of all three tiers of the temple. True, the walls do not seem gloomy because of this: the sunlight penetrating through the huge windows, decorated with beautiful stained-glass windows made by great masters, which depict biblical scenes, makes the room bright and, one might even say, fantastic. Some stained-glass windows of Notre Dame de Paris reach thirteen meters in diameter, they completely fit the “story” in the paintings about the birth, life and execution of Jesus Christ.

The bells of the cathedral deserve special attention. By the way, each bell of Notre Dame Cathedral has its own name. The largest bell of the Catholic Church bears the name Emmanuel, its weight reaches 13 (!) Tons, and the tongue weighs just over half a ton. The oldest of all the bells is called Belle (yes, like the character from all is well famous novel), it was cast as early as 1631. The Emmanuel bell is rung only on the most significant Catholic holidays, but the rest of the bells ring Paris at 8 am and 7 pm. All of these bells also miraculously escaped being melted down during the mob riots during the French Revolution.

If a visitor to the cathedral decides to enter it through the main entrance (there are three in total), then he will see a realistic image of the Last Judgment.

Gallery of Kings on the main facade of the building

Two angels with trumpets woke up the dead on our entire planet: a king, symbolizing power, a pope, symbolizing the clergy, and warriors with a woman, who show that during the Last Judgment, all mankind will wake up from eternal sleep.

Today, Notre Dame Cathedral is an active Catholic church, part of the Parisian archbishopric. Divine services are constantly held in it, but to get to them you should come to the temple as early as possible: its capacity does not exceed 9,000 people. By the way, worship services in Notre Dame de Paris are held using cutting-edge technologies: with the help of special effects, prayers are projected onto a huge screen in two languages: English and, of course, French. Believers can offer their prayers to God to the sounds of the largest organ in all of France. Moreover, the organ of Notre Dame de France contains the largest number of registers in the world: today there are 111 of them!

Entrance to Notre Dame Cathedral is free, but it is only allowed to visit it with a guide on certain days and times: Wednesday and Thursday at 2 pm, and on Saturday at 2:30 pm. In addition, anyone can climb one of the towers, which will offer an amazing and unforgettable view of Paris. True, climbing the 387 steps to the tower will cost 8 euros, and children and teenagers under 18 will be able to climb to the top of Notre Dame de Paris for free.

View of the east facade of the building

It is also interesting that the celebrations of the significant date of the 850th anniversary of the cathedral began on December 12, 2012. The celebrations will last almost a whole year: they are scheduled to end on November 24, 2013. For Notre Dame Cathedral, in honor of its anniversary, nine new bells were cast at once in the workshops, which will join Emmanuel and Belle. In addition, printing houses have already launched the printing of a special brochure for pilgrims, which will describe in detail the history of Notre Dame de Paris, its legends and secrets.

Each European capital has its own architectural symbol. Paris is much more fortunate in this, it has several such symbols: the Arc de Triomphe, Les Invalides ... But the oldest, most pompous and impressive in its luxury is Notre Dame Cathedral, which is on the island of Cité, in the heart of the capital of France. Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Paris) primarily attracts tourists. In addition to the external beauty and harmony of the building itself, many historical and cultural events are associated with the cathedral.

At the very beginning of its existence, the Gothic building served for coronations, marriages, and funerals of the emperors of France. In 1302, the first parliament of France, the Estates General of France, met in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. By the advent of the year 2000 (millennium), the cathedral was cleaned of soot and city dust. It is now golden yellow, the original color of the sandstone from which the cathedral was built.

Notre Dame Cathedral was erected directly in the center of the Ile de la Cité, the place from which the development of the capital of France began. Before that, as evidenced by excavations, there was a Gallo-Roman settlement on this site, and where the cathedral now stands, there was a temple dedicated to Jupiter, later, on its foundation, basilicas from the times of the Merovingians and Carolingians.

The construction of the medieval Catholic cathedral began in the 12th century, it took place in several stages until the 14th century. Jean de Chelles and later Pierre de Montreuil were the main architects in charge of the construction work. All the townspeople collected money for the construction, since everyone wanted to be involved in the construction god's temple.
As was customary in the Middle Ages, those who contributed more money had the right to bury themselves or members of their family inside the chapels, as well as exhibit their own statues in memory of posterity. The construction was patronized by Bishop Maurice de Sully and Pope Alexander III. Due to the fact that the construction of the cathedral lasted for a long time (from 1163 to 1315), its appearance combined the features of the Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles, with the latter predominating. It is believed that the Romanesque style in architecture means a great commitment to classical forms, to architecture. ancient rome, while the Gothic style implies certain features of barbarism.

Mystery of medieval France

Medieval builders, masons who knew how to build such majestic cathedrals, were a privileged workshop. They moved around the French capital at the request of the townspeople and the city commune, which conceived the construction. Bricklayers, masons, carpenters, architects kept secret the peculiarities of their skill, often encrypting knowledge in the depicted symbols left by them in buildings. Now it has become fashionable to look for hidden meanings and decipher the symbols of freemasons and masons.
And the symbols were really used. These were special ciphers of freemasons, embodying esoteric knowledge, as well as Christian symbols. The secret knowledge of the alchemists and Cistercians, obtained on the basis of astrology, alchemy, and mystical geometry, was first accepted and then carefully preserved in Masonic lodges.

Cathedrals dedicated to the Virgin

So, Notre Dame is dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Madonna), the patroness and intercessor of the city. But this is not the only significance of this majestic structure. By the way, Paris is not the only city in which there is a Notre Dame Cathedral. Approximately at the same time Reims, Chartres, Dijon, Rouen, Paris and some other cities of France, Notre Dame cathedrals appeared. Their flourishing is associated with the spread and popularization at that time of the teachings of Bernard of Clairvon (1090 - 1153), who introduced the cult of the Virgin Mary, associated with Christmas and the esoteric meaning of the feminine. Until that time, the cult of the Virgin Mary was not popular among churchmen.

Over the course of history, due to various circumstances and time, the cathedral was gradually destroyed. It suffered especially during the time of Louis 14, when many tombstones and stained-glass windows were destroyed, as well as during the French Revolution.

During the French Revolution, which proclaimed the freedom of man and citizen, Notre Dame Cathedral was called the Temple of Reason. During the time of Napoleon, the cathedral was returned to its religious status. Napoleon himself was crowned at Notre Dame de Paris along with his wife Josephine. The grandiose canvas, which depicts the scene of the coronation of Napoleon at Notre Dame, is exhibited in the Louvre, another famous symbol of Paris.

Notre Dame de Paris - the abode of God ... and love

In 1831, Victor Hugo wrote the masterpiece novel Notre Dame Cathedral, thanks to which the magnificent cathedral was restored to its former popularity. The authorities decided to restore the masterpiece of architecture and began its restoration in 1841. Supervised the restoration work of Violet-de-Duc. He also ordered to demolish the old buildings and clear the area in front of the cathedral.

Those who read the novel by V. Hugo, watched one of its adaptations or enjoyed the sensational musical of the same name, remember the descriptions of the interior and exterior of the cathedral, remember the scenes about how the bell ringer of the cathedral, the hunchback Quasimodo, communicated with the bells, calling them Marie, Big Marie, etc. In fact, even now all the bells in the Notre Dame bell tower have their own names, for example, Angelique-Francoise, weighing about 1765 kg, Antoinette-Charlotte, weighing 1158 kg, Hyacinth-Jeanne, weighing 813 kg etc. The largest bell, Emmanuel, has a mass of 13 tons.

And in general, the size of the cathedral is amazing. So, its height is 35 meters, and the height of the bell towers is 69 meters. The length of the temple is 130 m, width - 48. To get to the observation deck and stand next to the famous gargoyles and chimeras of Notre Dame, to see Paris from such a height, you need to be in good physical shape and overcome 387 steps of a narrow staircase leading to the balcony.

Before the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral was considered the tallest building in Paris.

Construction of Notre Dame Cathedral

Gothic cathedrals were built collectively. Colossal material, human and financial resources were needed. It was necessary to deliver stones from quarries, to hew them. To deliver this stone, a significant amount of forest was cut down. Naturally, the farther the source of building materials was from the construction site, the more expensive its transportation and delivery was. Those people who could not support the construction financially directly participated in the work as masons, joiners, carpenters. The head of the work was called the Master. The difference in pay between an architect and a skilled worker was not very noticeable, except for the annual bonus. The working day lasted 12 hours in the warm season and 9 hours in winter. All workers during the hours of rest could unite in the church service.

Masons or Freemasons

The professional stonemasons hired by the city authorities to build the cathedrals used to rest and eat with all the other builders, together they took shelter from the rain and bad weather, discussing their work in wooden barracks called lodges (loges). From the 18th century, this term was introduced into circulation by Masons, whose meetings were secret and closed. Masons sought to create a closed secret society to preserve and transmit secret knowledge intended exclusively for initiates. Freemasons of the 18th century also used another well-known term of medieval freemasons - soft stone (fr. pierre franc or franc-macon) freemason, or freemason. True, linguists have another version of the word franc. Perhaps it is connected with the definition of a franchise, that is, a special freedom of action, a number of privileges, tax exemption. Such privileges were given to mobile construction teams, as opposed to those hired locally.

Gargoyles - stone guards of the cathedral

Let's say a few words about gargoyles (gargoyles). During the construction of cathedrals, such sculptural images of semi-demonic infernal creatures were used for a purely practical purpose. They were waterways. As drainage systems in Gothic cathedrals, not only gargoyles were used, but also dragons, chimeras, various animals - lions, donkeys, fish, goats, wolves, etc. Even people (monks, clowns, jesters) and even whole scenes were depicted. The unusual infernal appearance of these decorative elements of Gothic cathedrals made us look for another, hidden meaning in their image. Perhaps the appearance of such creatures was supposed to scare away evil spirits from God's temple.

However, the gargoyles of Notre Dame Cathedral originally served a decorative function. The architect Ville-de-Duc decided to install them already in the 19th century and invited 15 sculptors for this. By the way, Ville-de-Duc, who carefully studied the secrets of the construction of Gothic cathedrals, published the Explanatory Dictionary of French Architecture of the 11th - 16th centuries.

On the porch at Notre Dame Cathedral

So, having found themselves on the square in front of the cathedral, having examined it from the outside, tourists line up to enter inside. The entrance to the cathedral is through an arched portal on the main façade. The arches of the cathedral support seven statues. Above the central portal are scenes of the Last Judgment. On the left is the portal of the Virgin, and on the right is the portal of St. Anne. Near them is the Christ-Studio. Between the portals and the tier is the Gallery of Kings, as the sculptural images of the kings of the Old Testament are called. The fact is that in the Middle Ages, people were mostly illiterate, and images and sculptures in churches told them about the life of Christ, the deeds of the saints and apostles, and other stories from the Bible. There is a sculptural image in the center of the facade from the outside, and a stained-glass window in the form of a rose from the inside. The central stained-glass window in the form of a rose has a diameter of about 10 m.

In 2009, Michael Jackson fans gathered on the porch of the cathedral thought that the bells were ringing on the occasion of the death of their idol. In fact, the bell ringing accompanied procession to the Cathedral of Saint-Severin.

Rose

A rose, the so-called round piece with ray motifs, usually in marble, is located in the center of the facade of the cathedral and the same detail is found on the south transept of Notre Dame above the reinforcing structures. The rose, as an element of style, was used mainly in the Romanesque cathedral, but in the Gothic it combined both functional and symbolic meanings. First of all, it was a source of light penetration into the central nave. The rose also symbolizes the circle and the Sun, the fiery wheel, which in medieval times was identified with the cyclical time of life. The rose is also associated with the feminine. Therefore, it is quite reasonable to use it in the cathedral dedicated to the Virgin. The number of rose petals also has a symbolic meaning. Pay attention, when you stand in front of Notre Dame Cathedral, to the number of rose petals.

Stained glass windows in Gothic cathedrals served as a source of light and depicted various scenes and plots. In addition to purely functional significance, the use of light in cathedrals also had a symbolic one - God is light. In cathedrals in the Gothic architectural style, God - Light penetrates into the temple to believers through a beautiful refraction. In the Gothic cathedral, the symbolic meaning of verticality also emphasized the desire to rise to the sky, the light penetrating through the stained-glass windows seemed to break the earthly darkness, giving the opportunity to rush up to unearthly space. Today, in the chapels of the cathedral, in the treasury, electric lights are also used.

At Notre-Dame de Paris, stained-glass windows depict scenes of rural work, signs of the zodiac, allegories of human virtues and sins. Only a small part of the stained-glass windows has survived to this day in its old form, most of which had to be restored and reconstructed.

Cathedral interior

The interior of Notre Dame Cathedral is the nave chapels. Some of them contain paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. Some of them contain small models of scenes of medieval life with a cathedral in the center. In the center of the Cathedral there are chairs where you can sit, relax, and if you are lucky to be here during the work of the organ, then listen to the liturgy performed by the organ. The fact is that, although Notre Dame Cathedral is a cultural and historical landmark, it is, first of all, a functioning Catholic church. Here pass church services, so the entrance to the cathedral is absolutely free.

Organ of Notre Dame Cathedral

The organ of Notre Dame Cathedral operated as early as the 15th century and was later rebuilt. Now the organ has 8000 pipes and 111 registers. For the recent celebration of the 850th anniversary of the cathedral, the organ was reconstructed again, and new bells were added.

There is a treasury in Notre Dame Cathedral. It contains one of the main Christian artifacts, the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ. He was moved here from the Sainte-Chapelle (Holy Chapel) church built especially for him at the time. Other secular treasures and ancient objects of worship are also on display. The entrance to the treasury is 1-3 Euro.

Notre Dame Cathedral is a fine example of a Gothic style building.

According to Notre Dame Cathedral, you can safely study architectural style Gothic. It combines all its main features and elements. These are stained glass windows, and pointed spiers and ribbed vaults of the roof, and the defenders of the abode of God - gloomy gargoyles.

The huge size of Gothic cathedrals, including Notre Dame de Paris, is explained by the fact that a person of the Middle Ages had to feel reverence for the Lord. In addition, the function of such cathedrals was the unity of people, thanks to a common communion with God. Cathedrals also served as a refuge in times of civil strife and quarrels. Cathedrals also served as a gathering place for citizens in the Middle Ages, for various festivals and mysteries. The Feast of Fools in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral described in the work of V. Hugo had a very real basis. So, the chronicles tell that in 1160 in the French city of Lana there was a “holiday of fools”.

Cathedrals in the Middle Ages were a kind of books of stone and glass. Victor Hugo also writes about this, conveying the lamentations of medieval scholastics that there are times when the book begins to replace architecture.

There is a belief that if you stand in a circle crossing the earth's meridians in the square in front of the cathedral and make a wish, then it will come true.

Around Notre Dame Cathedral

Under Notre Dame Cathedral there is a crypt or Archaeological Museum which started operating in 1980. In the crypt, 120 meters long, you can see the foundations and walk along the masonry from the times of Ancient Rome. The entrance to the crypt is to the left of the facade of the cathedral, the ticket price is 3.50 Euro.

About 100 meters from the cathedral is a monument to Charlemagne, who united the French lands. They say that this monument has no particular artistic value, however, it depicts the vestments of the king of that time very reliably. As a result, and because of the symbolism of the figure of Charlemagne, this monument also deserves the attention of tourists.

On the square in front of the cathedral, the zero meridian is displayed and the distance to many cities of the world is indicated. These marks are played up in Dan Brown's recently popular bestseller The Da Vinci Code.

Images and photographs of Notre Dame Cathedral are known not only from the facade, but also from the south side across the Seine River. You can admire this view by sailing on a boat on the Seine around the Ile de la Cité. In the evening, thanks to the beautiful illumination, the cathedral looks especially romantic.

Note to the tourist

You can get to Notre Dame Cathedral by metro lines 4, 1, 10, 7, 11, 14 to the stops "Isle of the City", "Hotel de Ville", "Chalet", and then quite a bit on foot. You can use buses, for example, routes 21, 38, 47, 85.

Annually the cathedral is visited by 14 million people, it is one of the most famous monuments in Europe.

Notre Dame Cathedral is open to the public from 8 am to 6:45 pm, on Saturday and Sunday from 7:15 am. As reported on the website of the cathedral, services are held on Saturday at 5-45 and at 18-15.
Tourists have an audio guide in French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese, the cost of its services is 5 Euros.

Within walking distance from Notre Dame are other interesting sights of the French capital - the city hall, the Hotel de Ville, the Palace of Justice and the Conciergerie prison, as well as many others.

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Notre Dame de Paris (Notre Dame Cathedral) is one of the most popular attractions in the French capital. He is best known for the work of the same name by Victor Hugo. This one was a true patriot of his native country and with his work he tried to rekindle the love of the cathedral among his compatriots. Needless to say, he succeeded quite well. After all, there was no longer any doubt about the love of the French for this building: during the French Revolution, the townspeople resignedly paid a bribe to Robespierre, who otherwise threatened to destroy the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. We offer you to learn more about this Parisian attraction, the history of its creation and how it can surprise tourists today.

Notre Dame de Paris (France) - the architectural inspiration of an entire nation

This building was erected at a time when most of the inhabitants of the country were uneducated people who transmitted the history of religion exclusively by word of mouth. The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, built in the Gothic style, keeps within its walls paintings, frescoes, portals and stained glass windows depicting biblical episodes and events. By analogy with other Gothic buildings, you will not find wall paintings here. They are replaced by a large number of tall stained-glass windows, which act as the only source of color and light inside the building. Until now, visitors to Notre Dame de Paris, whose photo adorns almost any tourist guide to France, note that passing through a colored glass mosaic gives the building a mystery and inspires sacred awe.

Some people know this attraction by hearsay, someone remembers it from the novel of the unforgettable Hugo, and for someone it is associated with a popular musical. One way or another, the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris is an amazing place with a rich history. If you are planning then do not deprive yourself of the pleasure of visiting this attraction.

The history of the founding of the cathedral

The construction of this building began in 1163. The interior decoration was completed only a century and a half later - in 1315. In 1182 the main altar of this church building was consecrated. The building work itself was completed by 1196. Only the interior decoration lasted for a very long time. The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris was erected on what is considered the heart of the French capital. The main architects of this monumental building, whose height is 35 meters (the bell tower of the cathedral rises to 70 meters), were Pierre de Montreuil, Jean de Chelle.

The long time of construction also affected the external appearance of the building, as Norman and Gothic styles were mixed over a century and a half, thanks to which the image of the cathedral turned out to be truly unique. One of the most noticeable details of this structure is a six-ton ​​bell located in the right tower. For centuries, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris has served as a wedding venue. royalty as well as their coronations and funerals.

XVII-XVIII centuries

This majestic building underwent great trials in the last decades of the seventeenth century. During this period, marked by the reign of King Louis XIV, the most beautiful stained-glass windows were destroyed in the Cathedral and the graves were destroyed. During the French Revolution, Parisians were warned that this magnificent structure would be razed to the ground. However, they have the opportunity to prevent this if they regularly pay a certain amount of money for the needs of the revolutionaries. Rarely did a Parisian refuse to comply with this ultimatum. Thanks to this, the cathedral was literally saved by the local population.

Cathedral in the 19th century

During the reign of Napoleon in 1802, Notre Dame Cathedral was re-consecrated. And four decades later, its restoration began. During it, the building itself was restored, broken statues and sculptures were replaced, and a spire was built. Restoration work lasted a little less than 25 years. After their completion, it was decided to demolish all the buildings adjacent to the Cathedral, thanks to which a magnificent square was formed.

What is worth paying attention to when visiting Notre Dame Cathedral today?

In addition to its majestic appearance, the cathedral can offer visitors a lot of interesting things hidden within its walls. So, it is here that one of those nails with which Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross has been kept since ancient times. There is also the famous bas-relief of the alchemist Notre Dame.

If you come to the cathedral on Sunday, you can hear the organ music. And the organ located here is the largest in all of France. All believers are given the opportunity to bow before such shrines of the cathedral, as well as a piece of the Cross of the Lord with a nail preserved in it.

Do not deny yourself the opportunity to admire the surroundings from the observation deck located on the south tower of the cathedral. However, keep in mind that to climb it you will have to climb 402 steps. In addition, do not lose sight of the bronze star located on the square in front of the cathedral. She marks the zero kilometer, and it is from her that all French roads have been counted since the 17th century.

Make a wish

It is safe to say that visiting Notre Dame is a very significant event for any person. Perhaps that is why from time immemorial there has been a belief here that if you leave a note with your desire at the gates of the cathedral, it will certainly come true.

How to get to the cathedral

As we have already mentioned, Notre Dame is located in the eastern part of the Parisian island of Cité. You can get here both by metro and by bus. If you decide to take the subway, then you need to take line 4 and get off at the Cite or Saint-Michel station. If you plan to travel by bus, then use one of the following routes: 21, 38, 47 or 85.

Cathedral opening hours

The main hall of Notre Dame is open every day from 6:45 to 19:45. However, keep in mind that from time to time the flow of visitors is "slowed down" by local ministers. This is done in order not to interfere with ongoing masses.

If you plan to visit the towers of the cathedral, then take note of the following information:

In July and August they are open to the public weekdays from 9:00 to 19:30, and on weekends from 9:00 to 23:00;

From April to June, as well as in September, the towers can be visited from 9:30 to 19:30 every day;

Between October and March, they are only available for visiting from 10:00 to 17:30.

Seasoned tourists recommend visiting the cathedral from October to March. During this period, it is not so crowded, and you can enjoy the relative silence and in a relaxed atmosphere to explore this attraction. In addition, if you have the opportunity, come here at sunset. At this time, you can enjoy the magnificent picture, which is the play of light passing inside the cathedral through the multi-colored fancy stained-glass windows.

Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral: the cost of visiting

Entrance to the main hall of the cathedral is free. note that all year round Every Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., and every Saturday at 2:30 p.m., there is a guided tour in Russian. It's also free.

Near the cathedral there is a small building where the temple treasury is located. Here are stored various antique products from precious metals, as well as the clothes of the clergy and the main exhibit is the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ, as well as a piece of the Cross of the Lord with a preserved nail. Adults will have to pay three euros to enter the treasury, schoolchildren and students two euros each, and children from 6 to 12 years old - 1 euro each.

If you want to climb the tower of the cathedral, then adult visitors will have to pay 8.5 euros, students - 5.5 euros. For persons under the age of eighteen, admission is free.

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 it 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 west side 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 last time look at your 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. Moreover, 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 a popular belief that the strixes poison 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 Meryon) (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. AT 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 was 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 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).

Of the first two archivolts framing the tympanum, beyond resurrection of the dead angels are watching. 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 next photo, note the folds of the drapery and wings):

A level higher, on the top jumper is shown archangel Michael, which weighs the souls of the dead on the scales of justice, determining those elected to Paradise (left side, that is, on the right hand of 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 the 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 either side 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 the left hand of 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 same “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 it 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 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 leadership 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 » (latest phenomenon 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 until the last days (not counting the passionate events that occurred 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 of the zhizan type ( 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 reunite with her dearest husband as soon as possible. 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).