Tuesday 9 April 2013

Norte Dame De Paris

Norte Dame De Paris

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As one of the greatest monuments of the French capital, listed on the World Heritage list, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is one of the most remarkable masterpieces of gothic architecture.

Designed by Maurice de Sully, the construction of this cathedral began in 1163 and took nearly two centuries to complete; it was finally finished in 1345. Notre Dame cathedral underwent a restoration in the 19th century, led by the French architect Viollet-le-Duc, during which the great spire was rebuilt, and after the façade was restored in 2000, the Notre Dame now looks just as magnificent as it did when it was first built.

Situated in the historical and geographical centre of Paris, right on the edge of the Île de la Cité, the Notre Dame is the symbolic centre of Paris; you cannot be closer to the heart of France than when you are on the doorstep of the Notre Dame.

The layout of the cathedral was innovatively modern, with its nave with 5 transepts. Notre Dame de Paris is the proud owner of many stained glass windows, including rose windows, two of which are 13m wide across the diameter, which puts them amongst the largest in the whole of Europe. The towers, which stand at 69m high and house many gargoyles and bells, inspired one Victor Hugo’s most famous tales, "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame", the story of the famous bell ringer, Quasimodo.

Open 7 days a week, visiting the Cathedral Notre Dame is free. However there is a fee for a tour of the cathedral's great towers, one which consists of an almighty 422 steps. The view from the top is beautiful and is the only one of its kind, offering a view of the River Seine and its many bridges, as well as a great number of other Parisian gems, such as la Saint-Chapelle, the Tower of Saint-Jacques and the Sacré-Cœur.

The tour Historical Paris and the guided minibus tour Classical Paris, both of which are available on Pariscityvision.com, will give you the opportunity to visit the cathedral.

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