High Gothic Architecture - Notre Dame de Paris
It is a typical High Gothic Cathedral even though the construction starts in Early Gothic. Notre Dame means "Our Lady" in French.
I think this is a very good example to illustrate High Gothic period.
At the beginning of 19th century, the cathedral needed repairs, it was scary, some city administrators began to think about tearing it down.
French novelist Victor Hugo, a patriot on his right, an admirer of the Gothic cathedral, wrote his novel - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - to raise awareness of the cathedral's heritage.
He sparked renewed interest in Notre Dame's fate, a campaign to collect funds for restoration followed, and in 1845 Notre Dame was restored.
You see what I see, one single men with a big heart and good ideas can make a big difference. This is a valuable history lesson in itself.
This is a sketch of the Notre Dame cathedral, it is useful as you can find all the elements I describe later.
What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG)
And is coming from: "What You See Is What You Get"
- Construction of Notre Dame Cathedral
- Rose Window
- The Mark of French Revolution.
- Video about the elements of Gothic
- Video with Images from Gothic Cathedrals all over the France
- Blogs French Gothic Architecture Notre-Dame de Paris
- My Other Architecture Lenses
- More Cathedrals from Europe
- Amazon Books Notre Dame de Paris
- Paris Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral
- I really like to read my readers opinions
- Who is Michey
- Michey's Lensography
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Construction of Notre Dame Cathedral
- Began in 1163, during the reign of Louis VII
- The west front, with its distinctive two towers, began in around 1200 before the nave had been completed. Numerous architects worked on the site, this is the reason of different styles at different heights of the west front and towers
- Between 1210 and 1220, the fourth architect oversaw the construction of the level with the rose window and the great halls beneath the towers
- In 1260s Transepts changed to the Gothic style
The towers were finished around 1245, Western towers and north rose window completed in 1250, and the cathedral was finally completed around 1345.Notre Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the arched exterior supportscalled flying buttress
The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses. But the thinner walls grew higher and stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward.
To solve the problem, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, around the choir and nave, they use flying buttresses. You can see them in this sketch, in other pictures, and in Videos as well.
During the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV at the end of the 17th century the cathedral underwent major alterations, during which many tombs and stained glass windows were destroyed. You can see stained glasses the videos I selected.
Several organs were installed in the cathedral over time, the earliest ones were inadequate for the building. The first adequate organ was finished in the 1700s. The organ was almost completely rebuilt and expanded in the 19th century.
I was on purpose to a Mass, just to hear the sound of a perfect organ in a Gothic Cathedral.
Rose Window
The name "rose window" was not used before the 17th century and came from the English flower name rose.
This type of window is divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery as you can see in the next picture:
Rose windows are particularly characteristic of Gothic architecture and may be seen in all the major Gothic Cathedrals of Northern France. In the next picture is the west rose of Notre Dame de Paris, has at its center the Virgin Mary and Christ Child, surrounded by prophets and saints.
There is always a symbolism attached with Rose Windows. In general in Gothic cathedrals, where a rose is often found above the West Door, the most common subject of the stained glass is the Last Judgment.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, with the revival of the Gothic style much stained glass installed in rose windows, in new churches and as restoration in old churches, was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Notre Dame is the perfect example.
The Mark of French Revolution.
The radical phase of the French Revolution (1793) put a costly mark on the Notre Dame Cathedral:
- Many sculptures and treasures were destroyed
- The cathedral was rededicated to the Cult of Reason
- Later to the Cult of the Supreme Being
- The Virgin Mary was replaced by Lady Liberty on several altars
- The cathedral also came to be used as a warehouse for the storage of food.
The cathedral suffered desecration during French Revolution, and during the 19th century, an extensive restoration project was completed, returning the cathedral to its previous state, almost!
Video about the elements of Gothic
A lot of examples are from Notre Dame Cathedral from where you will see the flying buttress, stained Glasses, and the beautiful Rose Window.
Video with Images from Gothic Cathedrals all over the France
Featured Cathedrals: Norte Dame, Chatress, Reimes, St. Etienne Bourges.
Blogs French Gothic Architecture Notre-Dame de Paris
- Notre Dame de Paris - Portal of the Last Judgment on Flickr ...
- Notre Dame de Paris, also known as the Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Roman Catholic Cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic archdiocese ...
- Paris Through My Lens: Notre Dame de Paris
- Notre Dame de Paris. This Sunday I've selected two photographs of Cathédrale Notre Dame taken in March, 2007. I realize that these two shots are not exactly the most original , but I've not been inside since that time. ...
- Notre Dame de Paris | My Melange
- Enjoy these pictures in and around Notre Dame in Paris. Consider it your own personal armchair tour.Though your guide, moi, is here in spirit - it will be.
- Notre Dame de Paris on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
- Notre Dame (Our Lady) is the figure that gives name to Paris' cathedral. Nuestra Señora es la Virgen que le da el nombre a la catedral de Paris.
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Amazon Books Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris -- 1482, in French
(French Edition)
Music and Ceremony at Notre Dame of Paris, 500-1550
(Cambridge Studies in Music)
Kindle 2:
Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device
(Latest Generation)
Paris Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral
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- Beautiful! Notre Dame was actually the first place I visited in Paris :)
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- What a beautiful educational lens! Thank you! Blessed by an angel!
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