The Notre Dame Cathedral, located in Paris, is one of the most iconic buildings in the world. It is widely considered to be a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.
The cathedral has been undergoing restoration work since it caught fire on Monday, April 15th. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but officials have said that it could have been linked to renovation works being carried out at the time.
Height of Notre Dame Cathedral
At 621 feet (189 meters) tall (excluding spires), it’s France’s tallest cathedral—and one of Europe’s tallest churches overall! Its flying buttresses were designed by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1845; they were added to strengthen its structure after years of neglect during which it had fallen into disrepair due to a lack of funds for maintenance or restoration efforts (after all
Why Notre Dame is called the Notre Dame Cathedral
Notre Dame de Paris sometimes called simply the Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in Paris. It was built between 1163 and 1260. The church has been rebuilt several times over the centuries and suffered damage during the French Revolution. It was restored in 1883 by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc after being destroyed by fire in 1793.
In 1956, Pope Pius XII proclaimed Notre Dame a minor basilica by decreeing that it be given this special status on account of its historical significance as a shrine to Mary Magdalene or Marie Madeleine (who many believe was Jesus’ wife). As such, it has since been accorded certain privileges within France such as being exempt from paying taxes levied by local government bodies—a privilege enjoyed only by churches recognized as “historic monuments” under French law
The Notre Dame Cathedral history of the spire
The third and most iconic spire was built in the 13th century and attached to the cathedral’s original plan. It was removed during the 18th century when it became too old and weak to support itself, but it was restored in 1844 by French architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc who added a new metallic frame.
The spire stood tall above Paris until Monday evening when it collapsed during a fire that swept through Notre Dame Cathedral after being ignited by renovation work being done on its roof. As of Tuesday morning, firefighters were still working to contain the blaze while investigators began determining what caused the fire.
The Notre Dame Cathedral’s history of its bells
You may have noticed that there are six bells in Notre Dame Cathedral. This is because the cathedral was originally built in 1163 when only five bells were installed. However, it wasn’t until the 12th century that they were heard ringing out across Paris.
A sixth bell was added at this time to commemorate the completion of construction on the church’s spire—and with it came a new era for Notre Dame: one where each year would bring something new to celebrate or commemorate within its walls.
The sound of these bells would also inspire some other major changes—like their removal during World War II and their subsequent return after 60 years!
The Notre Dame Cathedral’s history of its statues
The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is one of the most famous churches in the world. It was built by the medieval Catholic clergy and has been a place of worship for more than 850 years.
Even though it was begun in 1163, work on it continued well into the eighteenth century and even to this day. The cathedral has three portals with statues depicting biblical figures: Saint Stephen, Saint John the Evangelist, and Saint Eustace.
The Notre Dame Cathedral’s history of its gargoyles
Gargoyles are a combination of downspouts and gutters that direct water away from buildings. They were often made in the form of grotesque or fantastical creatures and were usually placed at roof level.
Gargoyles are most commonly found in churches, but they can also be seen on castles, palaces, and other buildings. The Notre Dame Cathedral is home to some very famous gargoyles, including one that depicts a human head with an animal body (the head looks like it’s coming out of the mouth).
The Notre Dame Cathedral’s history of its rose windows
The Notre Dame Cathedral’s rose windows are part of an extensive series of stained glass windows that were installed at the cathedral during the Gothic period. The rose window is a circular window with richly colored glass and intricate designs.
They were added to the building to help with acoustics since they allow sound waves to pass through them; this was a common feature in Gothic churches.
The Notre Dame Cathedral rose window is not the largest in the world: that honor goes to England’s York Minster whose west front has five larger ones (although this may be due to its greater height).
This cathedral has a rich history that can help us understand the culture.
Notre Dame Cathedral is not only a beautiful building, but it is also steeped in a rich history that can help us understand the culture of those who built it and those who lived in Paris at the time.
The architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral offers insights into both the people who built it, as well as the people in France during its construction.
The cathedral itself has a gothic style with flying buttresses which were used to support an otherwise heavy structure without adding additional weight on top of it.
This was due to innovations made by architects at this time period, who were using new technologies such as steel and concrete to build buildings that would have been impossible before then.
Because these new materials were expensive and rare compared to wood planks that were used previously, they show how wealthy Parisians became during this era in history when Notre Dame was being constructed.
