Brief History of Notre Dame De Paris

Notre Dame is French for "Our Lady." The reason for the name is because the Cathedral is dedicated to Mary. The name "Notre Dame" is actually common in French-speaking Catholic churches. There are several inside of Paris alone. The cathedral is well known partially because of Victor Hugo's novel "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." The cathedral is built on an island called Île de la Cité and is of the gothic style. While it is a major tourist destination it is still conducts masses. Here is the history of it.

Construction of Notre Dame de Paris was started under Henry XII in 1163. Before this cathedral, there had been others in the same site. The first was a Roman one dedicated to the God Jupiter. After this was a Christian basilica followed by Cathedral of St. Etienne, a Romanesque cathedral.

The cathedral's history began when Maurice de Sully, the bishop of Paris at the time, decided to build a new church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. This was to be one of the most beautiful ever built. This is evident in the time it took to be built-180 years. The following is a time-frame of the construction and important events in its building.

It isn't known whether Alexander III or Maurice de Sully laid the foundation stone. The choir was one of the first parts completed. It was finished in 1183. After this, the nave was constructed and finished in 1208. Construction of the Cathedral's distinctive towers began next and were finished around 1250. Chapels were added to the nave from 1235 to 1250. Chapels were also added to the apse from 1296-1330.

During the mid-thirteenth century the interior of the cathedral was changed dramatically. The small windows, which were typical of the early gothic style, were enlarged. The cathedral was finally finished around 1345.

Over this large period the project was headed by many different architects. This explains why at different heights on the main towers, there are different styles.

During the French Revolution the cathedral was pillaged and statues were taken down. The treasures were destroyed. Since then it has been changed a lot for the worse. Hugo was one of the people that brought attention to the poor state and sought to have it appreciated like it should have been.

In 1991 a huge project of rebuilding and repairing was started. The cathedral still retains its beauty.