notre-dame paris-book report

"Each face, each stone of this venerable monument is not only a page of the history of the country, but also of the history of knowledge and art. Time is the architect, the people are the builder." — Victor Hugo,
Notre-Dame de Paris Even if you do not know who the hell Victor Hugo is, you would have heard the tale about the Hunchback in Notre Dame? Well, that tale is not just fluff written by Disney, it was a well-intentioned yarn written by Hugo during the 19th century to raise awareness and romanticise about the Cathedral which had fallen into a state of disrepair. At this time, many of the cathedral's treasures had been pillaged, her beautiful stained glass broken and her walls still covered with poo stains.. Well, Hugo's tale worked and repairs started. Of course, up till this day, there are poor sods who believe that the electronic bells are rung by a weight-challenged hunchback..
The construction of this Gothic cathedral, undertaken at the initiative of Maurice de Sully, began in 1163. The major work was completed by the 12th century. Changes were made the following century, according to the architectural canons of the radiating Gothic style then in fashion. About 1250, Jean de Chelles built the north arm and began work on the south arm, which was completed by Jean de Montreuil.
From the middle of the 13th century to the beginning of the 14th century, chapels were constructed between the buttresses of the nave. Those next to the chevet were built by Pierre de Montreuil. The Gothic cathedral then underwent considerable changes as new elements were added in the 18th century and others destroyed during the French Revolution. Restoration, which gave the cathedral its current aspect, was completed in 1864. Under the command of Jean-Baptiste Lassus and especially Viollet-le-Duc, the church's 12th century architecture was restored as was the sculpture, furnishings and stained glass windows. Each of these elements today contributes to the fame of Notre-Dame de Paris.
Not to be missed ! Before leaving, do not forget to walk round to the public garden at the east end for a view of the flying buttresses supporting the choir, and then along the riverside under the south transept, where you can sit in springtime under the cherry blossom. And in front of the cathedral, in the square separating Notre Dame from Haussmann's police Headquarters, is what appears to be and smells like the entrance to an underground toilet. In fact, it is a very well-displayed and interesting museum, the crypte archeologique, in which are revealed the remains of the church which predated the cathedral, as well as streets and houses of the Cite dating as far back as the Roman era. On the pavement by the west door of Notre-Dame is a spot known as kilometre zero. This is where all of the main road distances in France are calculated.
The giant bell at the Notre Dames rings six times on Sunday and four times on weekdays and once on Saturday. Why? Well, morning prayers are held on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m, afternoon prayers between 5:45 - 6:10 p.m. on every weekday and various times on Sunday.
One of the best features of the cathedral apart from all the stained glass and artifacts inside, is the steep climb up the towers to get a spectacular view of Paris and to get upclose to your new friends the gargoyles.