Notre Dame: Symbol of Eternal Paris

 by Victoria de Bruijn

Part of the heart and soul of France, Notre-Dame - the gothic architectural masterpiece - is a symbol of eternal Paris. Although built for the union of catholicism in 1160, the monument is now point zero (the point from which all distances are measured in France), used for nation-wide events and welcomes the most tourists in Europe. However, on 15 April 2019, a fire raged through Notre Dame - destroying the original roof. The French were destroyed.

Under the support of Pope Alexander III, the foundation stone was laid and in 1260, the building was finished. Due to the religious connotations, Notre-Dame was designed to resemble a cross with the choir at its heart. The wooden roof structure, nicknamed “forest”, had each beam made from an individual tree - summing to 1300 trees. Finished in 1240, the North Tower measured 69m and, ten years later, the South Tower was completed with a shorter stature. 

During the French Revolution, Notre-Dame was vandalised due to its links with the monarchy. Most of the original ten bells - which were named after saints - were melted to make cannons and the cathedral almost reached complete destruction. Fortunately, in 1931, Victor Hugo released ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’, which used Quasimodo and Esmerelda to romanticise the cathedral, prompting Louis Philippe I to order the complete restoration and embellishment. 

In 2019, more major restoration works began in the spire, however, an enormous fire raged. Although the cause is unknown and there are numerous conspiracies due to 16 copper statues being removed just days prior to the fire, it was most likely caused by an electrical fault. The police dragged out art pieces whilst the cathedral was burning through a human chain. Donating almost $1 billion, the French and entirety of Europe mourned the potential loss of their cathedral.  

In summary, Notre-Dame has immense symbolism for the French, even outside of religious context. It has been a communal place for 9 centuries and will hopefully continue this legacy of welcoming around 13 million people a year in 2024.