Yesterday, one of the most famous cathedrals in the world was affected by a major fire that completely destroyed the roof of the church, and the 93-meter-high bell tower also collapsed in the flames. Early this morning, Paris firefighters, who fought the fire all night, announced that it was under control and that the main bell tower and a large part of the building had been saved. In honor of one of the largest historical monuments in the world, we have collected for you 8 lesser-known facts about the Notre Dame Cathedral that you probably don't know yet.
Notre-Dame de Paris was built between the 12th and 14th centuries, and carries the centuries-old history of Paris in its DNA. The Gothic cathedral is a reflection of the important role of Paris as an economic and spiritual center in the 12th century, and the wounds of the French Revolution are a reminder of its strong connection with the monarchy - a connection that almost completely destroyed the cathedral. Every day thousands of tourists from all over the world entered it to take pictures of the famous rosette and arched buttresses.
1. A pagan city hides under the cathedral.
The Île-de-la-Cité, on which Notre-Dame stands, was once the Gallo-Roman city of Lutetia. The cathedral is said to have been built right over the remains of the temple. In 1710, during excavations under the choir, parts of a sculptural altar dedicated to Jupiter and other deities were discovered (although it is not clear if this is evidence of an ancient temple or if it originally belonged to some other location). Several architectural remains were excavated between the 1960s and 1970s, most of which are said to belong to the pagan era. The remains lie in an archaeological crypt under the square in front of the cathedral.
2. There was a "forest" on the roof.
The cathedral contained one of the oldest preserved wooden beams in Paris, for which more than 20 hectares of forest were cut down in the 12th century. Each beam was made of its own wood. This is why this wooden grid is called "the forest".
3. Its arched buttresses were "trendsetters" in Gothic architecture.
Notre-Dame Cathedral was one of the earliest structures to be built with external arched buttresses. They were built around the nave of the church to give the otherwise thin walls the necessary support. Exposed arched buttresses became an iconic aspect of Gothic design, and while there is still debate as to whether Notre-Dame was indeed the first church to have them, it is certainly this cathedral that made this type of design a trend.
4. The bells were melted down into weapons.
The kings who lost their heads during the French Revolution weren't the only part of Notre-Dame cathedral that they managed to destroy. In the late 18th century, the cathedral, like other churches across France, was transformed from a Christian space into a new cult of reason. All of its 20 bells – except the huge bourdon (the heaviest bell) of 1681, named Emmanuel – were withdrawn and melted down into cannons. The bells were replaced in the 19th century, but the new bells were not as fine as the old ones and did not ring as beautifully. Finally, in 2013 they brought a new set of bells with a very similar sound to the one from the 17th century. Emmanuel still calls in on special occasions.
5. She was saved by Napoléon and Victor Hugo.
When Napoléon Bonaparte decided to have his coronation in 1804 at Notre-Dame, the cathedral was in very poor condition and for several years it was used almost as a warehouse. Napoléon decided to return the church to its usefulness and hosted the self-coronation there, giving the cathedral a new meaning. Nevertheless, the coronation did not solve the deterioration of her structure. Victor Hugo used Notre-Dame de Paris to personify France in his 1831 novel. The name of the novel is often translated as "the Hunchback of Notre-Dame" (in Slovenian it is the Hunchback of Notre-Dame), but the bell-ringer Quasimodo is not the main character - the main character is the cathedral. The book was a success, leading to a major renovation of the church overseen by the architects Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.
6. Its bell tower was a holy lightning rod.
If you look at the photo of the bell tower before the fire, you will see a rooster on top. This one wasn't just there for decoration. Since 1935, three smaller relics have been kept in its metal body - supposedly part of the crown of thorns and some parts of St. Dionysius and St. Genevefe of Paris (protector of the city). According to legend, these together form a kind of saintly lightning rod, which is supposed to protect those in the church.
7. Bees also live on the roof.
A hive of bees lives in the sacristy of Notre Dame. A beehive with buckfas bees was installed in 2013. Honey is produced with the help of flowers from nearby gardens, including the park on the square of Pope John XXIII. According to The New York Times, it is given to the poor.
8. Her towers are not identical twins.
At first glance, the cathedral's towers look like identical twins. If you go closer, you will find that the north tower is slightly larger. Like other elements of the cathedral, the towers were built gradually, which means that the cathedral is more a collage of architectural trends than the culmination of a single person's vision.
