Notre Dame de Paris

The construction of the cathedral began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and King Louis VII and spanned until 1345. Originally started during the transition from Romanesque to Gothic, the building shows an evolution in style, with the choir still featuring Romanesque elements, while the later western sections increasingly incorporated Gothic characteristics. A predecessor, the Cathédrale St. Etienne from the 6th century, already stood on this site. The choir was consecrated in 1182, the nave completed by 1225, and the towers erected by 1250. Later alterations and extensions in the 13th and 14th centuries, under master builders like Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil, led to the Gothicization of older structural elements and the addition of chapels. During the French Revolution, the cathedral was desecrated and damaged in 1793, before being reopened for services in 1802 under Napoleon I, who crowned himself emperor here in 1804. A restoration under Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century, prompted by Victor Hugo's novel, restored the cathedral.

Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral is located in Paris, in the department of Paris, in the Île-de-France region, France, at an elevation of approximately 49 m above sea level.

The church is accessible to visitors and continues to serve as a sacred site.