| The book, the musical, the cartoon, cups and | | | | cathedral are attracted by. |
| notebooks, pens and key rings – all of them remind | | | | Notre Dame de Paris is 35 meters high and 48 meters |
| us of the story told by Victor Hugo, which saved the | | | | wide. The South Tower holds the magnificent |
| cathedral from being torn down. None of the history | | | | Emmanuel bell, which weights over 13 tons and |
| and art experts can dispute its magnificence. | | | | contains gold and silver – many explain it by the |
| Notre Dame de Paris – The Cathedral of Our Lady | | | | legend that the bell was made of molten jewellery that |
| – stands on the bank of Seine not far from the | | | | local women threw into the cauldron. |
| Louvre, rising above Paris. The spacious square in | | | | Like many other French churches, during the French |
| front of the cathedral is always full of tourists, most of | | | | Revolution Notre Dame has suffered destruction and |
| whom aspire to observe the city from above the | | | | plunder. The statues of Biblical Kings were beheaded |
| cathedral. Its capacity is really impressive – there is | | | | – some of those were found much later and are |
| room for around 9000 people at a time. Victor Hugo | | | | now displayed at the Musée de Cluny. Restoration |
| called this construction “a vast symphony in stone... | | | | started in 1845 and brought some changes to the |
| the colossal work of one man and one people, all | | | | cathedral's looks: they added chimeras – the |
| together one and complex... where, upon each stone, | | | | allegorical images of human griefs. Some think that |
| one sees the fancy of the workman disciplined by the | | | | those are the masterpieces of different authors, |
| genius of the artist start forth in a hundred | | | | created in different periods of time. But in fact, they |
| fashions.” | | | | are important constituents of one complex plot. |
| Construction of this magnificent Gothic cathedral took | | | | Chimeras and other “creatures” of Notre Dame |
| more than 1,5 centuries. This building was the initiative | | | | help communicate the ideas of its architects, the main |
| of bishop Maurice de Sully, who ordered to demolish | | | | of which is the idea of complexity of human nature. |
| the current Parisian cathedral in 1160. Legend says that | | | | They are the soul of the cathedral, its different |
| de Sully wanted Notre Dame de Paris to outshine all | | | | “egos”: thoughtful, melancholic, watching, cunning, |
| the other world buildings and become the best Our | | | | wicked, looking at something that we don't see. What |
| Lady's cathedral ever existing. Works started in 1163, | | | | is unusual about all these sculptures is that sometimes |
| during the reign of Louis VII, the foundation stone was | | | | they look more even lively than people. |
| laid by Pope Alexander III. Those were the times when | | | | Don't be in a hurry when visiting the cathedral. Just |
| Roman architectural style was gradually giving place to | | | | think how many people worked to construct it, how |
| the Gothic one, that is why the cathedral's looks is | | | | much force and efforts they put into this work, to |
| typical of the time. Construction finished in 1345, both | | | | carve these chimeras, and saints, and scenes from the |
| styles were harmoniously combined. The variety of | | | | Bible, and religious sermons – all that many tourists |
| sculptural ornaments is what many visitors to the | | | | never pay attention at. |