Notre Dame Cathedral; It is a Roman Catholic church located in Paris, the capital of France. Built in the 12th century, this grand cathedral is one of France’s most important and well-known monuments. It bears the name of Maria, who is considered holy as the Daughter of God according to Christian beliefs. The cathedral is one of the most important buildings in France and has been the center of many important events over the years. The Cathedral stores many important church relics (Sacred Relics) and has been an important visitor center for these relics over the years.
Sacred Relics are objects related to the lives of people who have significant events in the history of Christianity or who have made significant contributions to Christianity. Among these objects, St. The cross of Jesus, St. The flower of Jesus and Hz. The shroud used after the death of Jesus is found. Today, Notre Dame Cathedral is a popular tourist spot for tourists. It is visited by millions of visitors annually.
Notre Dame Cathedral is also described in the famous French writer Victor Hugo’s novel “Notre-Dame de Paris” (The Hunchback of Notre Dame). The Cathedral was used as the main location of the novel and the novel describes the importance and history of the Cathedral. A large square in front of the cathedral, Notre Dame Square, is used for many of the important events held in Paris.
Notre Dame Cathedral was damaged during a fire in 2019. The fire started on the roof of the Cathedral in the afternoon of April 15, 2019, causing most of the roof to collapse. During the fire, many valuable works in the Cathedral were damaged and a large part of the roof of the Cathedral was destroyed. The Holy Relics of Notre Dame, located inside the Cathedral, were also damaged during the fire. However, works were carried out for the restoration of the building, and the old building elements and church items in the Cathedral were examined and repaired. In addition, the roof and wall surfaces damaged by the fire were also repaired and renewed.
Parts of Notre Dame Cathedral
The cathedral, which was built in 1160 by the King of France, Ludvig the Second, is among many important historical monuments in Paris. The architecture of the cathedral is a combination of Romanesque and Gothic styles. It contains many decorations, frescoes and sculptures. The word “Notre Dame” is a French word meaning “Woman of God”. The purpose of the cathedral is to build a large church, as many churches in Paris are considered inadequate.
The construction of the cathedral was started in 1163 and continued until 1345. Some of the key features of the Gothic style are the Cathedral’s high, curved arches, large windows, and lighting systems that illuminate its interior. The features of the Romanesque style are the straight and thick walls, straight arches and thick columns of the Cathedral.
The parts of Notre Dame Cathedral are;
Entrance: The entrance part of the cathedral is reached by passing through the entrance gate on the south side of the cathedral. This section opens onto the large courtyard located in front of the church, and on one side of the courtyard is the Statue of Christ of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Naos: The naos is the main part of the church where religious ceremonies are performed by the priest of the church. The naos is reached by passing through the entrance at the south end of the church and opens to the front sections on the east side of the church.
Front Section: The front section is located on the east side of the church, where the altar and the cross are located in front of the church. The front part is reached by passing the main part of the church, the Naos.
Transept: The transept is two large sections located on the south and north sides of the church. The transept is reached by passing through the main part of the church, the Naos, and forms half the length of the church.
Chair: The pulpit is located on the east side of the church, where religious ceremonies are performed by the priest of the church. The pulpit is reached by passing through the front part of the church.
Tower: Notre Dame Cathedral is surrounded by two towers. These towers are located on the south and north sides of the church, and its tower on the south side of the church is known as the Notre Dame Tower. Notre Dame Tower is the highest building element of the church and is the most important symbol of the church. The tower is the most important symbol of the church with its height of 227 meters. The tower is located on the south side of the church and is located above the entrance door on the south side of the church. The tower was built in Romanesque and Gothic styles and contains many gothic elements. Notre Dame Tower is higher than many important structures in Paris.
