Notre Dame is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris. Approximately 14 million people visit the site each year. This is one of the most famous monuments of medieval architecture in Europe.
Notre Dame de Paris is a Catholic church. The cathedral is located in the central part of Paris, in the 4th district of the city on the Cite Island. The distance from the cathedral to the Eiffel Tower is about 4 kilometers, 1.1 kilometers to the Louvre, 4.7 km to the Arc de Triomphe and 3.2 km to Gare du Nord.
Construction of the cathedral was begun in 1163, while Louis VII was the King of France. The altar of the cathedral was consecrated in 1182. Construction lasted from 1163 to 1345 years.
The highest part of the cathedral is the steeple. Its height is 96 meters. The height of the bell towers is 69 meters. The cathedral length is 130 meters, width 48 meters. Cathedral for centuries served as a venue for royal weddings, coronations and other important events.
The fire occurred in the cathedral on April 15. Notre Dame Cathedral is scheduled to open to the public in 2024. It is not yet clear whether the tourists who came to the Olympics will be able to visit this famous cathedral. (Restoration may take longer.)
Notre Dame is an example of medieval architecture. The upper part of the cathedral is decorated with sculptures of the apostles, chimeras and other images.
The attention of tourists is attracted by the magnificent stained-glass windows of the cathedral. The cathedral has 110 glazed stained glass windows.
The cathedral has the largest organ in France (by number of registers).
The Cathedral houses one of the most famous Christian relics - Crown of Thorns of Jesus Christ.
There is the so-called "zero point" on the square in front of the cathedral. Length of the roads is measured from this point.
Information for tourists.
- The cathedral is open every day from 7: 45 to 18: 45 (until 19:15 on Saturday and Sunday).
- Entrance to the church is free.
- Entrance to the bell tower is paid.
- Visitors with big bags may not are allowed to the cathedral.
The nearest metro stations: Cité (line 4), Hotel de Ville (line 1, 11), Saint-Michel (line 4), Chatelet (lines 7, 11, 14).
The nearest RER station Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame (line B, C) is located at a distance about 300 meters from the cathedral.
There are bus routes near the cathedral: 21, 38, 47, 58, 70, 72, 74, 81, 82 and 82. (Publik transportation in Paris.)
In the center of Paris on the Seine River, there are two located nearby islands: the Cité and Saint-Louis. It is believed that oldest part of the city is on the Ile de la Cité Island. Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is located on the Ile de la Cité. Ile de la Cite is connected to both shores and the neighboring island with nine bridges. There is the Latin Quarter of Paris located to south of the island, and Marais Quarter is located to north. The length of the island is about 1.2 kilometers. The width is about 290 meters.
It is better to take photo of the main facade of the cathedral in the afternoon. At this time it is better illuminated. Be sure to go to the south bank of the river Seine. You can make beautiful photos of the cathedral from this place. Tourists can buy paintings and souvenirs here.
Do not forget about safety. In the tourist areas, there are many pickpockets and other people who want to get your money. Keep an eye on your belongings. Keep your money, documents and valuables out of thieves.
You can see the location of this and other attractions on the map.