Visiting Notre Dame

I’m sure that most of us growing up have heard the story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, and for me it conjures up some very nostalgic images in my mind. I have to say that when you visit the Notre Dame Cathedral these thoughts quickly dissipate, and are replaced by sheer amazement at the size and beauty of this immense building. Home to the Archbishop of Paris, Notre Dame is thought to be the finest example of gothic Architecture anywhere in France.

You start to get an idea of the proportions of this vast Cathedral when you consider that building work took over eighty years, with work starting in 1163, and finishing only in the mid 1240’s. It is amazing to think that the Cathedral stands in such splendid shape today, although of course, maintenance work has been carried out almost continuously over the centuries, most notably after the French Revolution during the late 1700’s. Notre Dame is quite simply a stunning piece of Architecture and a wonderful footnote in the history of Paris.

If you are planning to visit Paris to see the Notre Dame Cathedral there are numerous other sights that are bound to entertain you just as well as the cathedral. You should head along the river to take in the majesty of the Louvre, and try to explore the small backstreets that litter Paris – this is where you will find the heart of the city.

There is no excuse for not visiting Paris – transport links are great and there are hundreds of cheap hotels in Paris which will provide a great base for exploring this magnificent city.