Paris: Visiting Notre Dame

In the summer of 2010, I took the trip of a lifetime. At the time, I didn't have a blog to recap the trip of a lifetime, so join me this week as I reflect on my fondest memories of Paris. After weeks of anticipation, June 3rd, 2009 was the day. 10 hours and two flights later, we arrived in Paris, France. 

Day one in Paris, we took a tour of the city on a tour bus. The bus took us to the city's most historic buildings and landmarks. One of those landmarks included Place Vendome. Place Vendome is a square that's home to the famous statue that commemorates the victory of Napoleon in Austerlitz. As the pole scrolls to the top, Napoleon's victory is depicted.

Place Vendome is also famous for being home to the one and only Coco Chanel. She lived in the Ritz Paris Hotel for 34 years until her death in 1971. Her infamous suite is still preserved to this day and can be rented out for $12,000/night. You may not know that the rounded rectangular shape of the Place Vendome square was the inspiration behind Coco Chanel's signature perfume bottle design. 

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Today, Place Vendome is most well known for housing some of the largest jeweler retailers in the world.

The next historic landmark on our tour was the Notre Dame Cathedral. Notre Dame Cathedral is now over 800 years old. Construction for the cathedral began in 1163 and took approximately 182 years to complete. Wow. Can you imagine how many people worked on this project in that time frame?! The Cathedral was completed in 1345. This view of the cathedral is referred to as the West Facade. Stone sculptures lie above the three major entrances into the cathedrals and depict three different scenes. 

The left entrance/portal is known as the Portal of the Virgin. This scene depicts the death of Mary and her body and soul being assumed in heaven following the end of her life on earth. Assumption Day is a major holiday respected in France and is celebrated annually on August 15th to honor Mary and her life.

Right Portal: Portal of St. Anne

This was an informative source for learning more about the statues and sculptures of Notre Dame and their meaning. I'm always amazed by the work of stonemasons and their level of detail. It's amazing how realistic these stone sculptures are. And to think...made from clay!? Wow! If I was born in the 1300s, I would have loved to be an apprentice and watch these guys work. 

I learned that the book, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, was written in a way to highlight the gothic french designed cathedral during a time when it needed some TLC. As the church needed some major love and restoration, many were protesting to have the building demolished. The writer, Victor Hugo, gave people a new appreciation for the building and its historic design and it was then that the city approved funds to have it saved and restored.

The inside of Notre Dame was quite subtle compared to the outside. Just inside the doors were tables where you could light a candle. Ever wonder the significance behind the lighting of candles? They symbolize one's intention to say a prayer for someone. I sat for a few and admired the height of the ceilings and the beautiful stained glass windows before walking back outside. 

The back of Notre Dame offers another beautiful view of the gothic-themed architecture. 

A beautiful garden sat across the street, where people would come eat their lunch or read a book. I loved that! 

Check out the other stops I made in Paris:

Eiffel Tower Tour

The Louvre Museum

Touring the Palace of Versailles

Museè d'Orsay

The City by Foot