Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cathédrale de Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame, the most visited site in Paris, with 10 million people crossing its threshold
each year, is not just a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture but has also been the
focus of Catholic Paris for seven centuries. Constructed on a site occupied by earlier
churches - and, a millennium before that, a Gallo-Roman temple - it was begun in 1163
and largely completed by the mid-14th century. The cathedral is on a very grand scale;
the interior alone is 130m long, 48m wide and 35m high and can accommodate more than
6000 worshippers.
Inside, exceptional features include three spectacular rose windows , the most
renowned of which is the 10m-wide one over the western facade above the 7800-pipe or-
gan, and the window on the northern side of the transept, which has remained virtually
unchanged since the 13th century. There are free 1½-hour guided tours of the cathedral
in English at noon on Wednesday, at 2pm on Thursday and at 2.30pm on Saturday.
The entrance to the Tours de Notre Dame , which can be climbed, is from the North
Tower, to the right and around the corner as you walk out of the cathedral's main doorway.
The 422 spiralling steps bring you to the top of the west facade, where you'll find yourself
face to face with many of the cathedral's most frightening gargoyles, the 13-tonne bell
Emmanuel (all the cathedral's bells are named) in the South Tower, and a spectacular
view of Paris.
NEED TO KNOW
( Offline map www.cathedraledeparis.com ; 6 place du Parvis Notre Dame, 4e; audi-
oguide €5; 8am-6.45pm Mon-Fri, 8am-7.15pm Sat & Sun; Cité) ; Tours de
Notre Dame (Notre Dame towers; rue du Cloître Notre Dame; adult/child €8/free;
10am-6.30pm Apr-Jun & Sep, 9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-11pm Sat & Sun Jul &
Aug, 10am-5.30pm Oct-Mar)
Paris for Kids
Whether it's wandering around the Jardin du Luxembourg ( Click here ) or descending in-
to the Catacombes ( Click here ), Paris is a great city to explore en famille . Museums and
attractions are well geared towards kids, and many offer free or discounted entry. For gen-
eral advice on family travel, Click here .
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