Notre-Dame de Paris
Notre Dame Cathedral is a beautiful religious building located in France. It was built back in 1315 on the lands of the island of Sita, located on the Seine River. This Gothic temple is without a doubt the most famous in Europe, as evidenced by the large number of tourists, of whom there are about 12 million annually.
For centuries, Notre-Dame de Paris has been the main urban center, where many ceremonies were held. It was here that the coronation ceremony and weddings took place, as well as the Parliament of the country met within the walls of the cathedral. Neither the rich nor the poor passed by this place, the former were saving valuables here, while the latter were looking for shelter.
Notre Dame Cathedral is unique in its architecture. It has a huge bell that weighs close to six tons. The sound of the largest bell can be heard very rarely, but the rest, the nominal bells, ring twice a day. The main facade of the temple accommodates three doors, above which various episodes belonging to the Gospel are depicted. Angels, the risen dead, the king, and Christ are depicted here. The doors of the cathedral are decorated with various reliefs. The roof of the structure has a weight of more than 200 tons, and consists of lead plates. Notre Dame Cathedral has a place for sculptures and paintings by talented craftsmen. There is a tradition here according to which, on the first day of May, these works are presented to the temple as a gift. Tourists are very attracted by another shrine belonging to him — the Crown of Thorns of the Savior, as well as part of the cross with the nail that Jesus himself was crucified with. The temple has magnificent viewing platforms, from where, in cloudless weather, Paris itself can be seen.
During the French Revolution, Notre Dame Cathedral was robbed and eventually turned into a "temple of reason" and later served as a wine warehouse. During this cruel time, all but one of the bells were melted down. Napoleon turned the temple back into a shrine in 1804.
Notre Dame de Paris is a witness to more than one important historical event that took place in the state. Before going to war, the crusaders prayed here, the temple is the site of the coronation of Henry VI, the first parliament of France was convened here by Philip IV, the wedding of Mary Stuart with Francis II took place within the walls of the cathedral, and the crown of Emperor Napoleon was also worn here in 1804.
Notre Dame Cathedral is a famous temple that is very popular among pilgrims. The walls of the cathedral can accommodate 9,000 people. There are many services held here, during which specially equipped screens are used, where you can read the texts of prayers in different languages. Wonderful music is played in the cathedral, which is created by a huge organ. Before the fire in the cathedral, it was visited by 14 million people a year.
On April 15, 2019, a fire broke out, which was extinguished only the next day. As a result of the fire, the spire and part of the roof collapsed. The main damage was caused to the roof and some interior spaces. Paintings, statues, and the organ inside the cathedral were damaged by smoke, fire, and water from the fire.
