- Location
- Paris, France
- Period
- Founded in 1163
A brief timeline
Bishop Maurice de Sully laid the first stone in 1163, and construction unfolded over roughly two centuries. The cathedral passed through major alterations and a nineteenth-century restoration before the fire of 15 April 2019. Its reopening liturgies took place on 7–8 December 2024.
Architecture and art
Ribbed vaults, rose windows, flying buttresses, and the western façade form a Gothic whole that is both soaring and bright. By carrying structural loads outward, the system opened walls to stained glass and made light part of the experience of prayer.
A living church
Notre-Dame is woven into French history, yet its deepest life remains Mass, Vespers, sacred music, and welcome. The return of organ and prayer after five years of restoration signals a living community, not merely a rescued monument.
If you visit, remember that this is first a place of worship: check the official liturgical schedule, keep silence, and respect the local community.