Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris - sightseeing, interesting facts, map
The symbol of the city of an unknown author
The icon of Paris, i.e. the monumental Notre Dame Cathedral (in translation Our Lady). Unfortunately, it was partially destroyed in the fire on April 15, 2019: the roof, part of the vaults and the spire of the cathedral collapsed. It is currently undergoing renovation and is not open to the public, but it can still be viewed from the outside and looks great.
The latest information indicates that the cathedral should be open to the public in 2024.
Interestingly, to this day It has not been possible to determine who the first architect who designed the cathedral was.
The location of the cathedral
The cathedral is located in the oldest part of Paris, in the place where the history of the city began, i.e. on the island of Cite. Maps presenting the location of the cathedral on the wider plan of the city and on the island itself are included below.
The remaining markers with numbers visible on the map above are the attractions that I described in more detail in the Paris sightseeing itinerary. You will find a link to the entire plan later in the text.
Demolish to build
The construction of the cathedral began in the 1163th century (180) and lasted for XNUMX years. Two churches had to be demolished for its construction. The churches themselves were built on top of the previously located pagan temple, and the densely crowded houses surrounding it. The process of demolishing and building new, more significant structures on the island of Cite has a long and rich tradition, but it is difficult to assume that it will continue 🙂
Treasures
On August 10, 1806, one of the most important relics for Christianity was placed in the cathedral treasury: the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ.
On the day of the fire in 2019, the crown was in the cathedral and there was a real threat of its destruction. On the same day she was transferred from it to another place (probably to Sainte-Chapelle).
Curiosity:
It is worth knowing that the cathedral treasury also contains a historically significant memento for Poles. There is a reliquary of the Holy Cross tree, which was part of the Polish Crown Treasury and was present at the coronation of all Polish kings, starting with Władysław Jagiełło ... until he suddenly disappeared from Poland.
So how did the reliquary end up in Notre Dame in Paris? History is prosaic.
In April 1669, King John II Casimir illegally deported him to France (after his abdication).
Four years after his departure, Jan Kazimierz died. After another three years (in January 1676) he was buried in the Wawel Cathedral, but his heart remained in Paris.
The heart of the Polish king is located in a magnificent tomb in the church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, part of the abbey of the same name (near the Latin Quarter), where our king was an abbot for the last four years of his life.
Useful information
Notre Dame Cathedral, GPS coordinates:
48°51’11.8″N 2°20’56.5″E
48.853286, 2.349032 - click and route
Nearest metro station:
Cite - line number 4
Church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, GPS coordinates:
48°51’14.7″N 2°20’01.3″E
48.854077, 2.333702 - click and route
Nearest metro station:
Saint-Germain-des-Pres - Line No.4
Paris sightseeing itinerary
This post is part of a very detailed itinerary for Paris that I have developed. The plan is available for free and you can see it on the website: Paris sightseeing plan - map, tickets, attractions, monuments, accommodation, interesting factsAccommodation in Paris
To facilitate the search for accommodation, I will present here some interesting (in my opinion) proposals. Don't consider them "just the best". They are an interesting proposition and can be a good choice or a good starting point for further research. Clicking on any of these hotels will take you to the offer details and (perhaps even more importantly) will display a list of similar offers. Thanks to this, you will immediately gain access to a list of interesting accommodation in the center of Paris, which you can then filter and browse according to your preferences.
Sully Hotel - [click]
Hotel Darcet - [click]
MEININGER Hotel Paris Porte de Vincennes - [click]
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