Notre Dame de Paris ~
Notre Dame de Paris ('Our Lady of Paris' in French) is a Gothic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in Paris, France, with its main entrance to the west. It is the cathedral of Paris and the seat of the Archbishop of Paris. Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. It was restored and saved from destruction by Viollet-le-Duc, one of France's most famous architects. The name Notre Dame means "Our Lady" in French. Notre Dame de Paris was one of the first Gothic cathedrals, and its construction spanned the Gothic period. Its sculptures and stained glass show the heavy influence of naturalism, unlike that of earlier Romanesque architecture.
Notre Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress [arched exterior supports]. The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave. After the construction began and the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued as such.
The cathedral suffered desecration during the radical phase of the French Revolution in the 1790s, when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. During the 19th century, an extensive restoration project was completed, returning the cathedral to its previous state.
Here's an interesting tidbit of information I found on Gothic architecture -
Gothic architecture itself emerged in 12th century France and was originally called "French Style." It was the dominant style between the 12th and 16th centuries, but was later mocked by some as being "Gothic"(as in backward and barbarian). The Gothic style is characterized by mathmatic precision, symmetry and a desire to reflect the glory of God through awe-inspiring architecture.
Some of the most distinctive features of the Gothic style of architecture were the flying buttresses, used to support the height of the buildings, and pointed arches (which actually originated in Assyrian and Islamic architecture).
Notre Dame de Paris ~
Notre Dame de Paris ('Our Lady of Paris' in French) is a Gothic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in Paris, France, with its main entrance to the west. It is the cathedral of Paris and the seat of the Archbishop of Paris. Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. It was restored and saved from destruction by Viollet-le-Duc, one of France's most famous architects. The name Notre Dame means "Our Lady" in French. Notre Dame de Paris was one of the first Gothic cathedrals, and its construction spanned the Gothic period. Its sculptures and stained glass show the heavy influence of naturalism, unlike that of earlier Romanesque architecture.
Notre Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress [arched exterior supports]. The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave. After the construction began and the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued as such.
The cathedral suffered desecration during the radical phase of the French Revolution in the 1790s, when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. During the 19th century, an extensive restoration project was completed, returning the cathedral to its previous state.
Here's an interesting tidbit of information I found on Gothic architecture -
Gothic architecture itself emerged in 12th century France and was originally called "French Style." It was the dominant style between the 12th and 16th centuries, but was later mocked by some as being "Gothic"(as in backward and barbarian). The Gothic style is characterized by mathmatic precision, symmetry and a desire to reflect the glory of God through awe-inspiring architecture.
Some of the most distinctive features of the Gothic style of architecture were the flying buttresses, used to support the height of the buildings, and pointed arches (which actually originated in Assyrian and Islamic architecture).