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Whenever we hear the name Notre Dame, one of two things might come to mind: the movie that we all watched and loved, about a man who rang the bells at a church, called “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” or the notorious Fighting Irish football team in Indiana from Notre Dame University. Well, if you were hoping that this was an article on Quasimodo or the Division I football team, I am sorry to disappoint you. But do not be too discouraged because, instead, you will read about one of the most beautiful cathedrals that has ever been built (and it is in the film the “Hunchback of Notre Dame,” so that is relatively close). The Notre Dame de Paris, or as we call it in English, the Notre Dame Cathedral, is a massive Gothic cathedral that represents the times and art of medieval Europe.
The architectural style of Gothic came into existence in Europe in the mid-twelfth century and lasted until the sixteenth century.1 The idea of the Notre Dame de Paris, which translates to “Our Lady of Paris,” was established by Maurice de Sully in 1160 who was the bishop of Paris at the time.
He wanted to build a cathedral church dedicated to the Virgin Mary; hence the name’s translation. The first stone for the foundation was laid by Pope Alexander III in 1163.2 The Notre Dame Cathedral was built on the ruins of two previous churches in the eastern end of the Ile de la Cite, which is the “historical heart of the city.”3 The purpose for it being built, beside dedication to the Virgin Mary, was for it to be an education center. During the high middle ages, the increasing wealth and social complexity of the cities created the demand for educated individuals to deal with “political, legal, and theological issues.” The institution did not, however, hold classes inside of the cathedral. Instead, there was a school connected to the cathedral.4
Emerging from the Romanesque Era, the Gothic Age of architecture came along with its signature innovation: the flying buttress. You probably think I am joking with a name like that, but those types of appendages to the frames of Gothic cathedrals were what allowed for these cathedrals to be built so tall. During the Romanesque Era, cathedrals were much shorter due to the heavy stones that were used for building the walls, limiting how tall they could build. The classic Roman arches could not evenly distribute the weight with the dome shape they took.5
Now if we take a look at the cathedrals during the Gothic Age, the difference in height can be readily noticed. The cathedrals during this time seemed to tower over those of the previous era. For that, we can thank the flying buttresses that were mentioned earlier. These buttresses were able to absorb the weight displacement of the walls, allowing them to be made taller, and allowing them to have large spaces for stained glass windows, which were not possible for Romanesque cathedrals. The weight of the stones could be easily supported by the thin intersecting arches. The architects discovered that the outward thrust of the vaults were concentrated in the small areas at the springing of the ribs and were also deflected downward by the pointed arches; the pressure could be counteracted by the narrow buttresses. Rows of carved flying buttresses created the signature look for Gothic masterpieces such as the Notre Dame de Paris, Amiens, and Beauvais.6
The Notre Dame de Paris is a model cathedral for the era of Gothic Architecture. The multipurpose cathedral created an environment of religious and secular education that helped shape the minds of the world. I know that there was no mention of a “Hunchback” in this article of the Notre-Dame, but I can guarantee that Quasimodo was proud to ring the bells of such a monumental cathedral.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, s.v. “Gothic Architecture.” ↵
- Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition s.v. “Notre-Dame de Paris.” ↵
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, s.v. “Notre-Dame de Paris.“ ↵
- Earle E. Cairns, Christianity Through the Centuries: A History of the Christian Church (Zondervan, 1996), 234. ↵
- Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2016, s.v. “Romanesque Art and Architecture.” ↵
- Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2016, s.v. “Romanesque Art and Architecture.” ↵
125 comments
Mariana Sandoval
I enjoyed how you made references to the Hunchback of Notre Dame (great movie). It was interesting to find out that the flying buttresses made it possible to build taller structures. I think its fascinating that architects during this time were able to figure these things out and make such grand buildings.
Christopher Repka
This was a really cool article. I’ve been meaning to read more on architectural history for awhile, and this was a great introduction to the Gothic style, with helpful insight into architects’ lingo. I did not know the practical structural purpose of the flying buttress, so that was an interesting insight.
Angelica Espinoza
I always find architectural styles in different ages fascinating to learn and identify! It is incredible to drive around different cities and countries and see the different architectural influences each build has. We never really think about the style of home we live in or even know where the style of home we like is even from, but when you can go down a street and name a Spanish, Colonial, Craftsman, or German style home it’s interesting just how many influences there really are. Gothic architecture is amazing and personally one of my favorites because of how intricate it could be. Really nice job!
Oscar Sepulveda
Never seen such a beautiful Cathedral. The way that the architecture changed over a period of time and made such an impact. This shows that change can and will happen through time. I liked the article because it was informative and great to read about a great era.
Jocelyn Alvarez Bibian
Soki, this is an awesome article! I love it from beginning to end! When a reading makes me smile, that is a good sign, and you took from me several smiles while I was reading. I love your introductory paragraph; the technique you used to get the attention of your reader gave your article a fresh look and made it entertaining. You basically put in one article two of the things I most admire: Paris and architecture. Great job on describing the architecture of such a wonderful building.
Thank you so much for such an amazing and interesting article! I look forward to reading your next article.
Analina Devora
I have been fortunate enough to visit many old European cathedrals such as those in Sweden, Latvia, Estonia and Ireland and it is obvious in every one of these that there is immense history behind their beauty. I really liked this article, it made me want to visit this cathedral now that I know so much about it. I also loved your introduction, it was humorous and allowed your readers to get hooked and continue reading. Well done!
Andres Palacios
Very informative and interesting article, definitely learned a lot about the Gothic structure and also about how the Cathedral was dedicated to Virgin Mary which was something I didn’t know.
Diana Moreno-Gutierrez
Great article, I love learning about the history of such momentous buildings like the Cathedral of Notre Dame. It was a cultural centers when it was built and continues to be of great importance now. I’m sure the advancement from stone building in the Romanesque era to the usage of flying buttresses in the Gothic Age helped make for even more elaborate buildings. This was very informative, great job Soki.
Kassandra Guillen
I love the introduction of your article. It is very appealing to me as a reader as it captivated my attention and peaked my interest. I enjoyed how you engaged the audience as well as provided many pictures that capture the beauty of the cathedral nicely. Very informative and well done!
Mehmet Samuk
Very interesting opening, you grabbed my attention well. Although I have never heard the movie or the football team as well. Being in Europe and traveling those old cathedrals always fascinated me. While reading your article I almost had the same feelings. Good Job !!