The Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the most famous temples in the world, an outstanding monument of architecture, praised by poets, writers, artists.

Slender mass of the Cathedral on île de La Cité seen from afar. When the Roman Emperor Constantine in the early fourth century recognized Christianity, here on the site of a former pagan temple appeared the Church of St. Stephen. In the middle of the XII century, it was not able to hold the faithful. Under king Louis VII the Young and Bishop Maurice de Sully decided on the construction of a Grand Cathedral.

The first stone was laid in 1163 in the presence of Pope Alexander III. It was the appearance of the new Europe, turned to the sky, the architectural style is Gothic, and the Cathedral became the embodiment of it.

Construction lasted from 1163 on year 1345. First erected the choir and the nave, facade began in 1208, 1250 completed two huge facade of the tower. With the growth of the Cathedral revealed a dangerous voltage in the bearing walls, in the fourteenth century around the nave and choir were built by huge flying buttresses, giving the building an unusual appearance. Alterations lasted for centuries: in 1699 by order of Louis XIV was rebuilt choir, godmother partition replaced by Lacy, wrought iron.

Growing up in the heart of Paris, the Cathedral was huge: 128 meters in length, 48 in width. It accommodates 9 thousand worshipers. The towers rise to a height of 69 meters, the spire is 90 meters. The building is decorated with a huge rose-window with a diameter of 13 meters. Portals are richly decorated with sculptures. Central, on the Western front, depicts the last judgment: the dead rise from their graves, the Archangel Michael weighing souls, Satan tries to stop him. On the Western side portal dedicated to the virgin Mary, of her death and assumption. Song of the South side is dedicated to Saint Stephen, North – the childhood of Jesus. Consider them for hours. The Cathedral is also known chimeras and gargoyles looking down from the heights of Paris. The gargoyles prosaic purpose: they serve as drains for rain water.

The interior is famous stained-glass Windows with scenes from the life of the patron Saint of Paris, St. Genevieve. In the chapels of the nave – thirteen magnificent paintings of the XVII-XVIII centuries on the acts of the Holy apostles. The statue of the Madonna and Child in the South-Eastern part of the transept is the middle of the XIV century.

In the XVI century this splendor was crushing the Huguenots, the French revolution in the eighteenth century turned looted the Cathedral to the temple of the Mind, and then in the warehouse. Again the Church was consecrated in 1802, there were crowned Napoleon. However, the building decayed, it came to its demolition. In 1831, Victor Hugo published his novel "Notre Dame de Paris", which attracted General attention to the fate of the temple. Attracted tourists, in 1845, began the restoration of the Cathedral.

Notre-Dame de Paris – the history of France: opening of the first French Parliament, and was crowned was crowned kings, rehabilitated Joan of Arc. On the day of Release then prayed de Gaulle, here the nation watched the great Frenchman. Since the end of the XII century rushes over Paris the bells of the Cathedral – in a happy, sad and ordinary days.