Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Paris

Notre-Dame is the great medieval Catholic cathedral and basilica before you, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and serving as the seat of the Archdiocese of Paris. Its stonework belongs to French Gothic architecture, with soaring arches, sculpted figures, and broad rose windows that fill the façade with light. The building campaign began in 1163 and continued until 1345, unfolding through several phases rather than under a single designer.

The named master builders include Jehan de Chelles, Pierre de Montreuil, Raymond du Temple, Pierre de Chelles, and Jean Ravy. Look at the carved figures across the façade, then trace the pointed openings and the great circular window: these details belong to the cathedral’s celebrated Gothic character. The building has also carried France’s history within its walls.

Napoleon was crowned Emperor here in 1804, and a Magnificat was sung here during the Liberation of Paris in 1944. A fire on 15 April 2019 destroyed the spire and the roof, and the cathedral reopened to the public on 8 December 2024. The result is both an immense place of worship and a monument renewed after catastrophe.