Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre Dame de Paris, Notre Dame de Paris) - the "heart" of Paris. It was here that, according to tradition, the service was supposed to take place on Easter 2019. But after the tragic events of April 15-16, 2019, the service was canceled. This cathedral is a majestic monument surrounded by legends. And the disastrous fire that happened will now become another important, albeit sad, event in the history of the cathedral.
Notre Dame Cathedral is a place where even people far from religion experience an inexplicable thrill. This incredible structure was built over two centuries (specifically: over 182 years), it combines the Neo-Gothic and Romanesque styles. Construction began in 1163; according to some sources, it follows that the first stone was laid by Pope Alexander III, while other sources report that the construction was started by a bishop from Paris named Maurice de Sully.
In 1250, the main work came to an end, but it was necessary to arrange the interior of the temple and complete the finishing work. This process dragged on, because Notre Dame de Paris was officially completed and commissioned in 1345.
Throughout its existence, Notre Dame Cathedral has "seen" many events, it has been repeatedly tried to destroy. During the First World War, the building was badly damaged, but was rebuilt afterwards. During the Second World War, Hitler himself ordered the blowing up of Notre Dame de Paris, but the temple survived anyway. In 2012, the magnificent architectural monument celebrated its 850th anniversary; by this date, some reconstruction work was carried out. For example, the organ was restored, and nine new bells appeared in the cathedral. However, it was decided to carry out a full restoration of the facades for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
A tragic and terrible event happened in the evening - around 20:00 Moscow time - April 15, 2019. A fire broke out on the upper tiers of Notre Dame Cathedral. The fire spread very rapidly, not sparing the "heart" of Paris. More than 400 firefighters worked to fight the flames. However, it was not possible to save the ancient clock, the spire, erected in the 12th century, and most of the wooden roof.
This unexpected fire in Notre Dame de Paris was a shock not only for the people of France, but for the whole world. Despite the fact that the important relics stored inside the building were not damaged, and the old bell survived, the consequences of the fire in Notre Dame Cathedral are very serious. On this "Black Monday", many recalled a French proverb, which says that "Notre Dame de Paris will light up and the end of times will come." It was possible to calm the fire only late at night on April 16.
Notre Dame Cathedral is a place of pilgrimage and one of the most visited cultural and historical sites not only in Paris, but throughout Europe. After a fire in the walls of the temple, the tourist route was changed, guests of the French capital should take this into account.
Having a very rich and long history, Notre Dame de Paris is surrounded by various interesting facts, various memorable and important events took place within its walls. It is impossible to tell about everyone - this list will tend to infinity. However, you can try to highlight some of the most interesting moments in the history of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Interesting facts about Notre Dame de Paris
Outwardly, Notre Dame Cathedral looks like a very gloomy building. Remarkable is the fact that this structure has no walls. The temple is entirely made of pillars and arches, and inside it is almost always very light. A similar effect is achieved thanks to stained glass windows.
The place where Notre Dame de Paris is located is remarkable in many ways. The monument is located on the Ile de la Cité, it is surrounded by the waters of the Seine River. Once on these lands there was a pagan temple, where the god Jupiter was worshiped in the 1st century. In addition, here in the 4th century was the Church of St. Stephen, and in the 6th century the Church of the Mother of God was erected.
Inside the cathedral, you can literally study the Bible, despite the fact that there is not a single mural in the temple. With the help of numerous sculptures, stucco molding and stained-glass windows, all significant moments are displayed here, and the scenes of the Last Judgment inspire horror and awe even among non-believers.
Famous demons and gargoyles appeared on the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral after the revolution.
An interesting fact is that the spire, unfortunately, lost during a fire in April 2019, in the old days was an observation deck and a watchtower of the city.
One of the important events in the "life" of Notre Dame de Paris was the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte.
During the revolution, an order was given to blow up the cathedral. But by an inexplicable coincidence, the explosives ran out. As a result, the building was plundered, and after some time it was used by the revolutionaries as a warehouse.
Two bell towers, one of which was hardly rescued from the fire when Notre Dame Cathedral burned, have an unprecedented height - 69 meters.
It is worth noting that Notre Dame de Paris is visited annually by over 14 million tourists, pilgrims, locals and Catholic Christians.
Legends of Notre Dame Cathedral
Notre Dame d Paris is surrounded by mysticism and legends. Despite the fact that it is a holy place and literally the main temple of the French capital, this majestic architectural structure keeps many secrets.
According to one of the legends, the gates of the cathedral were made with the help of the Devil (Satan) himself. To date, scientists have still not been able to figure out how the locks on the gates were forged and how decorations and engraving appeared. They say that the gate could not be unlocked until all the locks were lit and sprinkled with holy water.
Another legend says that Notre Dame Cathedral is a single cipher, having solved which, you can discover the secret of eternal life and learn how to turn inanimate objects into precious metals, learn the formula of the philosopher's stone. It also follows from this story that alchemists helped in the construction of the temple.
Mystical and terrible demons with gargoyles also appeared for a reason. Notre Dame Cathedral is considered an occult place, and there is a lot of talk about this in the old days, and in our time. According to legends and legends, it follows that secret occult knowledge is kept secret in the stained-glass windows and sculptures of the cathedral, and the person who can guess and read from everyone will gain power over the world.
