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Notre Dame Cathedral |
| Date Added: Jan 3, 2009 |
| Author: |
| Category: Entertainment & Event Planning |
 Notre Dame which means Our Lady is as much a symbol of Paris France as any other within the City. It is hard to think of Paris without thinking of Notre Dame Cathedral. This Gothic cathedral is the perfect representation of Paris given its long and arduous history as well as its charm and romance. Notre Dame had a hard life. It was destroyed on many occasions throughout history as religious beliefs and foreign invaders took pride in desecrating the ultimate symbol of religion. It was only after many restorations over the centuries that we get to enjoy the end product of many hundreds of years of dedication to the showcasing of the world’s most famous Gothic Cathedral. Notre Dame Cathedral is considered one of the best examples of French Gothic architecture in the whole world. Interesting to note, Notre Dame was one of the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress design for its arch entrance ways. The cathedral is located on the eastern half of the lle de la Cite and has its entrance to the west. The cathedral is considered state property and in addition to its religious charge, Notre Dame also serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Paris.
Many people think of gargoyles and gothic monsters draping the facades of Notre Dame reminiscent of Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and they certainly are an interesting attraction but the architecture and detail of the building itself is what is truly amazing. It has withstood the test of time, wars, desecration and rebuilding. Many of the religious artifacts were destroyed in the 18th century but you can still see the results of the restoration that came in the 19th century. Much of the original religious art and artifacts have been restored or recreated. It should be interesting to note that the entrance to Notre Dame Cathedral is considered to be point zero of Paris France.
When you visit Notre Dame make sure to take the proper amount of time to take in everything. It is definitely one of the most memorable attractions Paris has to offer. A fun thing to see while you are at Notre Dame Cathedral is on the roof. There are thirteen tarnished figures with 12 facing outwards and one facing inwards with his arms extended. The twelve are the 12 apostles and the lone figure is the architect himself! Cool stuff!
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