The real heart of Paris and all of France is the majestic ancient cathedral Notre Dame de Paris. The brightest monument medieval culture and architecture repeatedly stood on the brink of death, but endured all the hardships assigned to him with honor. For more than a thousand years, Notre Dame Cathedral in France has preserved the mystical energy of this place. Millions of tourists make a pilgrimage to touch its walls. Sung by poets and writers, the temple proudly bears the crown of the symbol of the French capital. There are very few buildings left in the world today that can compete with Notre Dame Cathedral in majesty and depth of historical destiny.
You don't have to be a practicing Christian to fully appreciate the cathedral. Foreign tourists in Paris they definitely come to Notre Dame Cathedral. It has an official website that tells the history of the place, you can sign up for a tour, and find out more interesting information.
History of Notre Dame Cathedral.
In the area where Notre Dame Cathedral is located, in pagan times there was a temple where Jupiter was worshiped. Even then, these lands were considered sacred, filled with mysterious power. When Christianity came to France, the once important pagan shrine was destroyed. Its place was taken by St. Stephen's Basilica. This building was actually the first Christian temple of medieval Paris. The corner of the island of Citeaux, where Notre Dame stands today, has always been especially revered by local residents.
1163 Construction of the cathedral begins. At a non-randomly chosen place (according to the order of King Louis 7), the first stone of the future structure was laid. The work used the skeletons of the foundation of a Romanesque cathedral.
Construction took place in two stages (actually lasting 200 years). For Medieval Europe This type of construction was common. In addition, Notre Dame was restored, updated, and rebuilt over many centuries. The main altar was built relatively quickly: it was ready 20 years after work began. The future cathedral was used as a burial place for the aristocracy and rulers of France.
Two centuries of construction work have created the original appearance of Notre Dame. sacred place remained untouched for half a millennium. The greatest architects of medieval France had a hand in its creation: Pierre de Montero and Jean de Chelles. De Montero is the architect of many French architectural monuments of the Middle Ages:
- Abbey of Saint Denis;
- Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés;
- Other buildings in the “radiant Gothic” style.
Both creators are buried in their greatest structure after death.
1789 By that time the building had fallen into disrepair. No one was involved in maintaining order in the temple. The decline began under Louis 14. The Great French Revolution and the upheavals that swept the country did not pass by the great cathedral. Maximilian Robespierre declared Notre Dame a symbol of obscurantism. The revolutionaries destroyed the spire on the main tower of the building. They were going to blow it up entirely. The rebels tore off the heads of numerous statues of Notre Dame Cathedral and plundered the rich treasury. The caring people of France obediently paid taxes to the treasury of the Jacobins, keeping Robespierre from blasphemous actions.
1804. Napoleon Bonaparte chose Notre-Dame as the site of his imperial coronation. Much of the cathedral did not save it from further destruction. Over the next decades, the question of the demolition of the temple was raised several times.
1831. An event that changed the history of Notre Dame happened. Victor Hugo's novel “Notre Dame de Paris” so shocked the hearts of Parisians, so exalted ancient temple that literally saved historical building from death. There was no one left indifferent to the description of the dilapidation and decline of the cathedral. Hugo achieved his goal perfectly. Inspired the French to love the monument of historical architecture. 10 years later, a full-scale restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris began. The building has become familiar modern look. The famous gargoyles and chimeras of Notre Dame Cathedral appeared, a discovery of the architect Viollet-le-Duc (the father of modern architectural restoration).
21st century. For the 850th anniversary, Notre Dame Cathedral was restored inside: the organ was updated, new bells were cast. A “pilgrim route” has been developed for tourists, revealing all the secrets of Notre Dame. The number of annual pilgrims reaches 14 million, placing the Cathedral among the leading tourist attractions in France.
Treasury of Notre-Dame de Paris
Such a famous church building could not do without rich Christian relics. The most famous treasure of Notre Dame Cathedral is the crown of thorns. France acquired the crown of Christ in the 13th century, but it was transferred to the cathedral after the end of the French Revolution. We have King Louis the Ninth to thank for this important acquisition.
In addition, there are also other relics associated with Jesus Christ:
- one of the nails with which the body of the Messiah was nailed to the cross;
- detail of the cross.
Today there is debate as to whether the nail kept in Notre Dame can really be called a Christian treasure. Similar treasures are stored in multiple copies throughout the Earth, although there are only 5 original nails. This does not prevent people from coming to the temple, full of confidence that such important elements of the execution of Christ are stored here.
A special value of Notre Dame is its organ. First established in the 15th century, it has been reconstructed several times (1733, 1788, 1868). The organ was computerized for the convenience of those playing in 1992, but has not lost its original sound. The instrument has been restored to its historical appearance from the era of Louis the Sixteenth.
Today the organ has more than a hundred registers, seven and a half thousand pipes, some of which have been preserved from the 18th century. There are no instruments in France that can compete with the organ of Notre Dame in scale. At least three titular organists are invited to play the organ simultaneously. Music lovers around the world rightly consider the sound of the Parisian instrument amazing.
Architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral
The architectural style of the building is typical of the Gothic period, but retains the features of the Romanesque early medieval architecture of Normandy. The structure of the Cathedral is strictly symmetrical: two famous towers on the facade, three horizontal and vertical parts.
The building cannot be called monumental. But for its time it was large: the maximum height was 69 meters, the height of the facade was 35 meters. The length of the Cathedral is almost 150 meters. To climb the bell tower, you will have to climb almost 400 steps. It's worth it, because the bells of Notre Dame are a special treat. Each of them is named after women's names. Emmanuel is the largest bell, its weight reaches 12 tons, and the “tongue” weighs another half a ton. Named after Hugo's heroine Belle, the oldest bell was smelted in 1631. It was a divine miracle that saved the bells from the looting of the French Revolution. You can hear the sounds of bells ringing over Paris every morning at 8.
In addition, a beautiful Parisian landscape opens from the bell tower platform. Many find it more interesting and romantic than the view from the Eiffel Tower.
Three entrances lead to the Cathedral. Thematic design of the Central Portal is the Last Judgment. Here is a symbolic image of all segments of the population:
- power and aristocracy - a king risen from the grave;
- clergy - Pope;
- the rest of the population are women and men warriors.
The left portal is named after the Madonna and Child. Here is one of the the most famous sculptures("Glory Holy Virgin"). Thematically, the portal is decorated with paintings depicting the most important milestones in the life of the Virgin Mary and the birth of Christ. WITH right side there is the portal of St. Anne.
The chimeras I have already mentioned are shrouded in many legends. They are considered the guardians of the cathedral, coming to life at night. Gargoyles crowning drainpipes also, according to legend, “come to life.” If you believe the myths, these sculptures store ancient building from ill-wishers and adversity.
Cathedral inside
On the central façade of the building is the famous stained glass rose of Notre Dame Cathedral. The window diameter is more than 10 meters. Other stained glass rose windows are also on the other facades (they are smaller in size). They are surrounded by scenes from the Old Testament.
Stained glass – business card places. There are no walls inside the cathedral, only columns. Stained glass windows play an important role, zoning the space. Notre Dame is especially beautiful in clear, sunny weather: the light plays with multi-colored glass, creating unforgettable shimmers of color on the gray ancient stone. Although interior decoration The temple is simple, thanks to the stained glass windows it has a unique appearance and volume.
During the restoration of the 19th century, a central chandelier appeared in the Cathedral. Viollet-le-Duc, who led the work, personally drew sketches of the lighting fixture. Material: bronze, silver-plated.
The interior of Notre Dame cannot be called rich. It is different from the Orthodox churches we are used to. There is no luxury or gold here. Stained glass overflows, ancient statues and originality of architecture - this is what makes Notre Dame majestic and luxurious in all its simplicity.
How to get to Notre Dame Cathedral
You can see Notre Dame Cathedral in a variety of artistic and documentaries. Not a single historical film about the life of Paris is complete without a view of the temple. It is much better to see the structure in real life.
The ideal excursion is on foot (through the Fourth arrondissement of Paris, the oldest district). The Ile de la Cité will surprise you with many architectural delights, not only Notre-Dame de Paris: Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle, Place Dauphine.
Be sure to stop by the cathedral square. There are buildings built in the 7th century and the archaeological museum “Crypt of the Notre Dame Porch”. Also attracting attention is the “zero kilometer” - the point of intersection and the beginning of all French roads from the times of the medieval state.
The building's opening hours start from 8 am to 7 pm. 8:30 – start of morning mass. You can get inside completely free of charge. But you will have to pay 15 euros to climb to the bells. The treasury has a different schedule: 9:30 – 18:30.
The most convenient way to get to Notre Dame is by metro. Trains 6 go here different lines. Remember the names of the stations where you need to get off:
- Saint-Michel;
- La Sorbonne;
- Chatelet;
- Hotel de Ville.
The train (RER) also runs here, the exit station of which is called Notre-Dame.
If you don't want to take the metro, catch a taxi. Any self-respecting taxi driver will take you to Notre Dame Cathedral in a breeze. There is not a single person in Paris who does not know the way to the famous beautiful cathedral.
The novel “Notre Dame de Paris,” created on the verge of sentimentalism and romanticism, combines the characteristics of a historical epic, a romantic drama and a deeply psychological novel.
The history of the novel
“Notre Dame de Paris” is the first historical novel in French (the action, according to the author, takes place about 400 years ago, at the end of the 15th century). Victor Hugo began to hatch his plan back in the 1820s, and published it in March 1831. The prerequisites for the creation of the novel were the rising interest in historical literature and in particular to the Middle Ages.
In the literature of France of that time, romanticism began to take shape, and with it romantic tendencies V cultural life generally. Thus, Victor Hugo personally defended the need to preserve ancient architectural monuments, which many wanted to either demolish or rebuild.
There is an opinion that it was after the novel “Notre Dame Cathedral” that supporters of the demolition of the cathedral retreated, and an incredible interest in cultural monuments and a wave of civic consciousness arose in society in the desire to protect ancient architecture.
Characteristics of the main characters
It is precisely this reaction of society to the book that gives the right to say that the cathedral is a genuine main character novel, along with people. This is the main place of events, a silent witness to the dramas, love, life and death of the main characters; a place that, against the backdrop of transience human lives remains just as motionless and unshakable.
The main characters in human form are the gypsy Esmeralda, the hunchback Quasimodo, the priest Claude Frollo, the military man Phoebus de Chateaupert, and the poet Pierre Gringoire.
Esmeralda unites the rest of the main characters around her: all of the men listed are in love with her, but some - disinterestedly, like Quasimodo, others fiercely, like Frollo, Phoebus and Gringoire - experiencing carnal attraction; The gypsy herself loves Phoebus. In addition, all the characters are connected by the Cathedral: Frollo serves here, Quasimodo works as a bell-ringer, Gringoire becomes a priest's student. Esmeralda usually performs in front of the cathedral square, and Phoebus looks through the windows of his future wife Fleur-de-Lys, who lives not far from the Cathedral.
Esmeralda is a serene child of the streets, unaware of her attractiveness. She dances and performs in front of the Cathedral with her goat, and everyone around her, from the priest to the street thieves, gives her their hearts, worshiping her like a deity. With the same childish spontaneity with which a child reaches for shiny objects, Esmeralda gives her preference to Phoebus, the noble, brilliant chevalier.
The external beauty of Phoebus (coincides with the name of Apollo) is the only positive trait an internally ugly military man. A deceitful and dirty seducer, a coward, a lover of drink and foul language, he is a hero only before the weak, and a gentleman only before the ladies.
Pierre Gringoire, a local poet forced by circumstances to plunge into the thick of French street life, is a little like Phoebus in that his feelings for Esmeralda are physical attraction. True, he is not capable of meanness, and loves in the gypsy both a friend and a person, putting aside her feminine charm.
The most sincere love for Esmeralda is nourished by the most terrible creature - Quasimodo, the bell ringer in the Cathedral, who was once picked up by the archdeacon of the temple, Claude Frollo. For Esmeralda, Quasimodo is ready to do anything, even love her quietly and secretly from everyone, even give the girl to his rival.
Claude Frollo has the most complex feelings for the gypsy. Love for a gypsy is a special tragedy for him, because this is a forbidden passion for him as a clergyman. Passion finds no way out, so he either appeals to her love, then pushes her away, then attacks her, then saves her from death, and finally, he himself hands the gypsy to the executioner. Frollo's tragedy is determined not only by the collapse of his love. He turns out to be a representative of the passing time and feels that he is becoming obsolete along with the era: a person receives more and more knowledge, moves away from religion, builds something new, destroys the old. Frollo holds the first printed book in his hands and understands how he disappears without a trace into the centuries along with handwritten volumes.
Plot, composition, problems of the work
The novel takes place in the 1480s. All the actions of the novel take place around the Cathedral - in the “City”, on Cathedral and Grevskaya squares, in the “Court of Miracles”.
A religious performance is given in front of the Cathedral (the author of the mystery is Gringoire), but the crowd prefers to watch Esmeralda dance on the Place de Greve. Looking at the gypsy, Gringoire, Quasimodo, and Frollo's father simultaneously fall in love with her. Phoebus meets Esmeralda when she is invited to entertain a group of girls, including Phoebe's fiancée, Fleur de Lys. Phoebus makes an appointment with Esmeralda, but the priest also comes to the date. Out of jealousy, the priest wounds Phoebus, and Esmeralda is blamed for this. Under torture, the girl confesses to witchcraft, prostitution and the murder of Phoebus (who actually survived) and is sentenced to hang. Claude Frollo comes to her in prison and persuades her to escape with him. On the day of the execution, Phoebus watches the execution of the sentence with his bride. But Quasimodo does not allow the execution to take place - he grabs the gypsy woman and runs to hide in the Cathedral.
The entire “Court of Miracles” - a haven of thieves and beggars - rushes to “free” their beloved Esmeralda. The king learned about the riot and ordered the gypsy to be executed at all costs. When she is executed, Claude laughs a devilish laugh. Seeing this, the hunchback rushes at the priest, and he breaks, falling from the tower.
Compositionally, the novel is looped: at first the reader sees the word “rock” inscribed on the wall of the Cathedral, and is immersed in the past 400 years; at the end, he sees two skeletons in a crypt outside the city, intertwined in an embrace. These are the heroes of the novel - the hunchback and the gypsy. Time has erased their history into dust, and the Cathedral still stands as an indifferent observer above human passions.
The novel depicts as private human passions(the problem of purity and meanness, mercy and cruelty), and people's (wealth and poverty, separation of power from the people). For the first time in European literature the personal drama of the characters develops against the backdrop of detailed historical events, and the private life and historical background are so interpenetrating.
IN ancient times on the site of Notre Dame Cathedral there was a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to the god Jupiter; with the advent of Christianity, the temple gave way to a basilica.
Victor Hugo, like many other novelists, treated Gothic architecture with reverence, seriously believing that the soaring naves of great cathedrals served as the best refuge for “tormented souls.”
The architect Violle-le-Duc, who was tasked with restoring the cathedral, carried out extensive and very thorough work to restore the building; many experts agreed that the architect was overzealous and the restoration can safely be called a remake.
The lost statues on the facades were restored, and the originals were placed in National Museum During the Middle Ages, a spire was added to the structure, but the most striking and controversial part of the restoration were the sculptures of gargoyles that decorated the roof drainage pipes. Gargoyles can be viewed at close range if you dare to climb the cathedral towers.
IN modern times The facade of the cathedral was carefully cleaned and washed from centuries-old dirt and dust, as a result of which the delightful carvings in the portals of the cathedral clearly appeared.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 20.12.2015 14:36
Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre Dame de Paris): detailed information about Notre Dame Cathedral, architecture and history of Notre Dame de Paris, location on the map.
Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral
Notre Dame Cathedral or Notre Dame is the oldest and most famous cathedral of Paris, located in its oldest part - the Ile de la Cité. This is a magnificent Gothic masterpiece, immortalized by the genius Victor Hugo and turned into an iconic place in the French capital along with the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.
In addition to the magnificent cathedral building and its interior, you can appreciate the beauty of Paris from the heights of the towers. To climb them you need to overcome more than 350 steps. You can also see the archaeological crypt, which will “tell” the history of the city from Gallo-Roman times to the 19th century.
History of Notre-Dame de Paris
Already in the 3rd century, the first Christians appeared in ancient Paris. St. was sent here. Dionysius, executed on the Montmartre hill, and later became the patron saint of the city (the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis is also named after him). After Constantine established Christianity, how official religion In the Roman Empire, in the 4th century, on the site of a pagan temple, the first Christian cathedral was built on the island of Cité - the Cathedral of St. Stefan. It is not known exactly what it looked like or its exact dimensions, but it is believed that it was a large five-nave basilica, rebuilt in the 6th-7th century.
Stone Cathedral of St. Stephen's was able to stand the test of time, but in the 12th century Louis VII and Bishop de Sully decided to build a new, more majestic cathedral. In 1163, the first stone of the future Notre Dame was laid. Construction continued until 1250.
Throughout its history, before the French Revolution, Notre Dame Cathedral was rebuilt and renovated several times. The revolution caused terrible damage to the cathedral - the statues of kings on the facade were destroyed, all the large sculptures were destroyed, stained glass windows and portals were damaged. Notre Dame fell into such a deplorable state that the possibility of its demolition was seriously discussed. Fortunately, thanks largely to Victor Hugo and his legendary novel Notre Dame de Paris, it was decided to restore the cathedral. In the mid-19th century, Notre Dame was reopened.
Architecture
The architectural style of the cathedral is Gothic. The western facade is divided into three parts vertically and horizontally.
The lower tier has three portals (entrances): the portal of St. Anna, portal of the Virgin Mary, portal Last Judgment. Each portal is decorated with bas-reliefs. Above the portals is the Arcade of Kings - 28 sculptures of Jewish kings damaged during the Revolution.
Above is the western rose - a figure of infinity and infinity, enclosed in a square. Built in the early 13th century, it is one of the three roses of the cathedral and the oldest of them.
The architecture of the cathedral features two bell towers - North and South. At the same time, the South Tower (closest to the river) looks less massive.
On the south side, the façade of the cathedral is also decorated with a rose and a spire, around which there are 12 figures of the apostles.
The roof of the cathedral is lead. Made of thin lead plates overlapped. The roof weight is about 210 tons. Also in the upper part, the facade of Notre Dame Cathedral is decorated with figurines of gargoyles and chimeras. Interestingly, there were no chimeras in the Middle Ages. They were installed in the 19th century during the restoration, as was the new lead roof.
Interior
The interior of Notre Dame does not boast fancy wall paintings. But this is the specificity of severe Gothic. The only source of light and color are the most beautiful stained glass windows. The original stained glass windows from the 13th century survive only on the cathedral roses. The remaining 110 stained glass windows were restored.
In the center of the nave are located sculptural compositions from the Gospel. In the right chapel of the cathedral there are paintings and sculptures donated. The cathedral chandelier is made of silver-plated bronze.
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris houses one of the greatest Christian relics - the Crown of Thorns.
Operating mode and input
Notre Dame Cathedral is open daily from 8.00 to 18.45. On weekends until 19.45. Admission is free and free.
To climb the towers and admire the panorama of Paris from the height of the gargoyles you need to pay 10 euros. There is also a paid entrance to the crypt.
Rules of conduct
- Notre Dame Cathedral is a working cathedral, so you need to be calm, quiet and respectful.
- Luggage is prohibited.
- Flash photography is prohibited.
- They may not be allowed in short skirts and shorts.
How to get there?
–Line 4, Cite ou Saint-Michel
–Line 1, 11, Hotel de Ville
–Line 10, Maubert-Mutualité ou Cluny – La Sorbonne
–Line 7, 11 , 14 Châtelet
–Line B, Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame
–Line, C, Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame
–Routes 21, 38, 47, 85, 96, Arrêt Cité – Palais de Justice
–Route 47, Balabus Arrêt Cité – Parvis de Notre-Dame
–Routes 24, 47 Arrêt Notre-Dame – Quai de Montebello
–Routes 24, 47 Arrêt Petit Pont
–Routes 24, 27, Balabus Arrêt Pont Saint-Michel – Quai des Orfèvres
–Routes 24, 27, 96, Balabus Arrêt Saint-Michel
–Routes 21, 27, 38, 85, 96 Arrêt Saint-michel – Saint-Germain
“Il est venu le temps des cathédrales”...the song from the musical “Notre-Dame de Paris”, which became so popular, brought fame not only to the performers, but also aroused the world’s interest in Victor Hugo’s novel, and in the most grandiose cathedral in France, Notre Dame Cathedral.
The cathedral, sung by Victor Hugo in his novel of the same name, is considered the main spiritual center of Paris, and many call it the “heart” of the city. Rising above Paris, the cathedral attracts not only with its splendor, but also with its many secrets; legends are made about the secrets of Notre Dame Cathedral.
On the site of the current Notre Dame in the 4th century there was the Church of St. Sebastian, and not far from it there was a temple Mother of God. However, in the 12th century. Both of these buildings fell into a deplorable state, and the Parisian Bishop Maurice de Sully decided to build a new cathedral in their place, which, according to his plan, was to surpass all the cathedrals in the world in its grandeur.
The construction of Notre Dame Cathedral lasted almost two centuries. More than a dozen famous architects worked on its appearance, but the greatest contribution to the creation of such a multifaceted cathedral was made by Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil.
The length of the cathedral is 130 meters, the height of the towers is 69 meters, the capacity is about 9,000 people.
Notre Dame Cathedral was built on the ruins of a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. The first stone of the basilica was laid by Pope Alexander III in 1163.
Many different architects took part in the construction, as evidenced by the different style and height of the western façade and towers.
The towers were completed in 1245, and the entire cathedral in 1345. The gigantic size of the cathedral had no equal before mid-XIII century when construction began cathedrals in Reims and Amiens.
Le Corbusier spoke of the western façade of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris as " pure creation spirit." Indeed, those present here are two geometric shapes- a circle and a square symbolize, respectively, the infinity of God and the limited space he created. Their coexistence in the lines of the facade shows how the world of God invades the world created through the sacraments of the Incarnation and the Nativity of Christ.
Under the balustrade stretches the “gallery of kings”, 28 statues of which represent 28 generations of Jewish kings - the ancestors of Jesus and Mary.
The western façade of Notre-Dame has three entrances; their pointed portals are decorated with sculptural panels depicting various episodes of the Gospel. Here the essence of Christianity is briefly and expressively told and embodied.
The photo shows the central portal, known as the "Portal of the Last Judgment." The entrance arches are supported by seven statues on each side. Below in the center on the lintel there are depictions of the dead rising from their graves, awakened by two angels with trumpets. Above them is a scene of the weighing of the souls of the dead by the Archangel Michael. According to this, the chosen ones are led to Paradise (according to right hand from Christ), and the devil leads the damned to hell, to the left. Further up, on the tympanum, Christ the Judge and angels are depicted. The curves of the vault are occupied by images of angels, patriarchs, prophets, martyrs and virgins.
The northern "Portal of Our Lady" tells about the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, her ascension to Paradise and coronation as the Queen of Heaven.
The facades of Notre Dame Cathedral are richly decorated with sculptures. They are among the best sculptures of the Middle Ages. The sculptures tell us the story from the Fall to the Last Judgment.
The spire of the Cathedral, at the base of the statue of the Apostles.
Equestrian sculpture of Charlemagne in front of the façade
Behind the Cathedral of the Cathedral Fountain of the Virgin
The decoration of the cathedral is dominated by gray color, this is the color of the stone from which the walls are made. The cathedral has very few windows and is quite dark and gloomy. The only source of light is the stained glass windows, but the light penetrating through the numerous stained glass windows fills the temple with a variety of shades.
In addition to candles, the cathedral is additionally illuminated with bronze chandeliers, but the light is still not enough, and it takes some time for the eyes to get used to the twilight reigning inside. This play of light gives the cathedral a special enchanting beauty and a certain mystery.
The majestic interior of the cathedral, its incredible size of naves and transepts amaze everyone who enters! North Dame served as the site of the coronations of French monarchs and the blessing of the crusaders. And on August 18, 1572, it was here that the marriage of Henry of Navarre (the future king Henry IV) and Margaret of Valois, familiar to us from famous novel Dumas "Queen Margot".
The massiveness of the columns on which the pointed arches of the naves rest is facilitated by carved capitals. The ornament with which they are decorated resembles the foliage of trees and serves as a reminder of the Garden of Eden.
Standing with your back to the entrance, you can take in at one glance the central nave, the main altar in the center with the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, as well as the intersection of the central nave and the transept of the cathedral - the middle cross, especially illuminated and marked with the image of the Virgin Mary.
First feeling delicate aroma, which cannot be confused with anything, and then - after seeing huge bouquet Royal lilies, which exudes it, you can see the image of the Virgin Mary - actually Our Lady of Paris - towering in the depths of the temple. This 14th-century work was placed in the cathedral only in 1818 to replace a 13th-century statue destroyed during the French Revolution. Placed in its historical location, this Virgin Mary is one of 37 images of Our Lady in the cathedral dedicated to her.
The gloominess of the pointed arches of Notre Dame is brightened up by bright stained glass windows, which decorate not only the huge rose windows of the northern and southern portals, but also numerous windows located under the very stream.
It is thanks to these amazingly clear and rich color pictures, the temple ceases to oppress and constrain with its size, the stained glass windows add “humanity” to the interior and the meager lighting of the cathedral degenerates into a mysterious twilight. In front of these bright spots you involuntarily stop and look at the images, trying to remember or recognize this or that biblical story, which illustrates stained glass.
Of course, rose windows also make a colossal impression. Pictured here is the north rosette, created around 1250, the one that retains much of the original glass. In the center is the Virgin Mary carrying the baby Jesus in her womb, surrounded by characters from the Old Testament. Both rosettes with a diameter of 13 m are considered masterpieces of Christian art.
Like most Catholic cathedrals (as opposed to Orthodox), Notre Dame has a double gallery surrounding the choir and high altar. It disappears along the altar barrier - a high partition separating the choir from the nave, which allowed the priests to pray in peace and solitude, protecting themselves from the noisy flock.
On the gallery side, the altar barrier is decorated with polychrome bas-reliefs, which, however, are only partially preserved in their original form. Here in the photo is a bas-relief in which you can recognize Christ and his disciples.
The cathedral houses one of the greatest relics of Christianity - the Crown of Thorns of Jesus Christ. He traveled from Jerusalem to Constantinople. Until 1063 it was kept in Jerusalem; in 1063 it was transported to Constantinople. Then the crusading warriors captured Byzantium.
Byzantium was in a plundered state, local princes needed money, and Bedouin II began to sell off relics. So the crown of thorns was redeemed by Louis IX.
In 1239, the Crown of Thorns was delivered to Paris. By order of Louis, he was placed in a specially built chapel, where he remained until french revolution. During the revolution, the chapel was destroyed, but the crown was saved, and in 1809 it was placed in Notre Dame Cathedral, where it remains to this day.
Along with the Crown of Thorns, the cathedral also contains a nail from the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Another nail can be seen in the cathedral of the city of Carpentras. Two more nails are in Italy.
Nails have long been a debate among historians; how many were there, three or four? But the answer to this question has not been found to this day.
Notre Dame is surrounded by legends. One of these legends is associated with the gate in front of the entrance to the cathedral. They are so magnificent that it is difficult to believe that man could have created them. Legend has it that their author was a blacksmith named Biscornet, who, commissioned by the canon of Notre Dame, agreed to forge a gate worthy of the grandeur of the cathedral. Biscornet was afraid of not justifying the trust of the canon, and he decided to turn to the devil for help, promising to give his soul for a magnificent job.
The gates for the cathedral were a real masterpiece; openwork interlacing was combined with figured locks. But the trouble is, even the blacksmith could not open the locks on the gates; they did not yield to anyone, only after sprinkling with holy water did they yield. Biscorne could not explain what was happening, he was speechless, and a few days later he died from an unknown illness. And he took one of the secrets of Notre Dame Cathedral with him to the grave.
But the most exciting and memorable event for me when visiting the cathedral was a walk through the gallery of chimeras!
Looking from the outside at the walls of the cathedral from bottom to top, you can see with the naked eye monsters, bats, vampires and mythical creatures, which seem to jump out and crawl out.... In fact, these are nothing more than the ends of beams and ceilings, covered with the faces of monsters. This combination of images of demons with the very building of a Christian temple seems completely unthinkable and incompatible. However, according to Christian iconography, everything here is logical and natural. In the Middle Ages, people believed that like scared away like, and accordingly, in order to ward off evil spirits and the Evil One himself from the temple, it was necessary to depict this very evil spirit on the temple itself. This is how these strange creatures “settled” here. And either they are guarding the temple, or they are fleeing from it, gripped by horror.....
But why do they “decorate” the temple building? Are they simply a decorative element, or are they endowed with some kind of mystical powers?
Chimeras have long been considered the silent guardians of the cathedral. It was believed that at night chimeras came to life and walked around their possessions, carefully guarding the peace of the building. In fact, according to the creators of the cathedral, chimeras personify human character and the diversity of moods: from melancholy to anger, from smiles to tears. Chimeras are so “humanized” that they began to seem like living beings. And there is a legend that if you look at them in the twilight for a very long time, they “come to life.” And if you take a photo next to a chimera, then in the photo the person looks like a stone statue.
At the corners of each of the bell towers there are statues of chimeras and gargoyles - an intricate invention of the architect Viollet-le-Duc, who has been in charge of restoration work at Notre Dame since 1841, and who wanted to decorate the building in this way, and at the same time arouse interest and attract public attention to it.
This is the most famous of the chimeras and can be seen immediately at the entrance to the gallery. As if thoughtfully, she contemplates from above the life of the ever-changing capital... I confess that I came to the gallery partly for this shot, because I had already seen such an image many times, but, of course, I wanted to verify the existence of such a character myself.
All these incredible monsters, hybrid animals and fantastic birds perched on the ledges of the bell towers and “guard” the ancient building... And here, even more than there, below, you are amazed at this combination of incongruous things in one and the same place - good and evil, holiness and vice exist here independently and in parallel from each other - the sacred monastery of Christianity, and the evil spirits in its bell towers... And yet - all this forms a single temple building, an architectural complex, to which, perhaps, it is most suitable epithet "frozen music".
But the gargoyles of Notre Dame settled here already in the Middle Ages. Yes, gargoyles and chimeras are not the same thing. Gargoyles are inferior in popularity to their “younger sisters”. And it is believed that the most beautiful gargoyles are at the level of the flying buttresses of the choir. If chimeras are a decorative element of the cathedral, then gargoyles had a completely different purpose.
WITH French gargouille translates as gutter or drainpipe. Thus, the monsters are nothing more than drainpipes that divert streams of rainwater from the roof and walls of the cathedral.
Notre Dame Cathedral is so diverse and diverse that every year it attracts huge amount tourists. Every Sunday you can attend a Catholic mass, and hear the largest organ in France, hear the extraordinary sound of a six-ton bell (it was this bell that Quasimodo had a special love for)
The views of Paris from the heights of the cathedral are amazing! The entire city can be covered at one glance. To the east is the Seine and the modern part of the city...
And in the west, there is its historical part. On the Ile de la Cité you can see the Sainte-Chapelle chapel and the Palace of Justice, and further away are the Louvre, the La Défense district and the Eiffel Tower.
Having been in the gallery of chimeras for 5-10 minutes, you don’t know where to look: either at the gargoyles, or at Paris, or at the cathedral that has become incredibly close, at those corners of it that are not visible from below, and to which here - just a stone's throw away!
For example - to a 90 m high spire, designed by the same Viollet-le-Duc instead of a small spire that was destroyed during the Revolution...
Or to the angel announcing the Last Day of the World...
Or to bloodthirsty monsters devouring their victims...
"Emmanuel" weighs more than 13 tons, and its tongue weighs about 500 kg. The bell rings only on the most solemn days - on major Catholic holidays.
There is a certain extraordinary harmony and harmony in the entire appearance of this particular temple. Bulky and monolithic - at first glance, and extraordinary lightness and airiness - if you look more closely, or walk around and examine it from all sides.
This square behind the cathedral is one of the most secluded and cozy corners in the city. Very close by are crowded boulevards, water bus piers, metro stations, noisy squares, crowds of restless three hundred attacking the cathedral itself and other attractions of the Ile de la Cité... But it’s quiet here. The water in the fountain is quietly gurgling, the flower beds are fragrant, random passers-by are resting in the shade of the trees... And the cathedral itself is the logical dominant feature of this place, where the gaze of everyone who is here is directed. From here there is a wonderful view of the sculptural compositions, rose windows and arched buttresses and flying buttresses of the eastern part of the cathedral. It is unlikely that Notre Dame would be so monumental and impressive if it were not reliably protected from its most vulnerable and fragile side - from the rear - so wonderful garden.... And the more time you spend here, the more you wonder: either the cathedral was built in the middle of the garden..... or the garden was planted around the cathedral in order to shelter and protect it from all evil spirits and from prying eyes
God's Garden ~ Notre Dame de Paris
God's Garden ~ Notre Dame de Paris
God's Garden ~ Notre Dame de Paris
God's Garden ~ Notre Dame de Paris
God's Garden ~ Notre Dame de Paris
God's Garden ~ Notre Dame de Paris
