Notre-Dame de Paris, or simply Notre-Dame, means “Our Lady of Paris”.1)
It is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in Paris's 4th district.2)
The cathedral is regarded as one of the best examples of French Gothic architecture in the world.3)
Its unique use of the rib vault and flying buttress, huge and colorful rose windows, and naturalism and quantity of sculptural decoration distinguish it from preceding Romanesque styles.4)
Bishop Maurice de Sully began construction on the cathedral in 1160. It was essentially finished by 1260, however it was constantly modified throughout the following centuries.5)
During the French Revolution in the 1790s, Notre-Dame was desecrated. A large portion of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed.6)
The cathedral hosted Napoleon I's coronation as Emperor of France in 1804. and observed Henri, Count of Chambord's baptism in 1821, as well as the funerals of various presidents of the Third French Republic.7)
Popular interest in the cathedral grew rapidly following the publication of Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in 1831. Between 1844 to 1864, a significant restoration project was overseen by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who erected the cathedral's famous spire.8)
In 1944, the Magnificat was sung within Notre-Dame to commemorate the liberation of Paris.9)
Beginning in 1963, the cathedral's façade was cleansed of years of soot and dust, restoring its natural color.10)
Between 1991 and 2000, another cleaning and repair job was completed.11)
The cathedral is one of the most well-known icons of Paris and the French people.12)
Notre-Dame, as the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris, houses the cathedra of the Archbishop of Paris (Michel Aupetit).13)
Notre-Dame is the most visited landmark in Paris, with 12 million visitors per year.14)
The cathedral caught fire on 15 April 2019 while being renovated and restored, causing major damage, including the destruction of the spire and two-thirds of the roof.15)