The Cathedral

NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS ⛪

1163 — The heart of Paris

Standing on the Île de la Cité, in the middle of the Seine, Notre-Dame has watched over Paris for more than eight centuries. With its towers, gargoyles and rose windows, it has become one of the capital’s most iconic monuments.

Its construction began around 1163, under the initiative of Bishop Maurice de Sully. The building process would span nearly two centuries, giving rise to one of the great masterpieces of French Gothic architecture.

Over the centuries, Notre-Dame has witnessed some of the defining moments in French history: royal ceremonies, the French Revolution, the coronation of Napoleon I in 1804, and the Liberation of Paris. In the 19th century, Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (Notre-Dame de Paris) helped revive interest in the cathedral and led to a major restoration, notably overseen by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.

On April 15, 2019, a devastating fire ravaged its roof structure and destroyed its famous spire. After five years of an extraordinary restoration project involving hundreds of skilled craftspeople and artisans, Notre-Dame reopened its doors in December 2024.

More than just a cathedral, Notre-Dame has witnessed over 850 years of history and remains one of Paris’s most treasured symbols.

Eight centuries of history in the heart of the City of Light.