Winner of the Fall 2016 StMU History Media Award for
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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
Destiny Flores
Being a big fan of Disney, I found this article extremely interesting. I love how a large part of the article was very detailed about the structure of the cathedral, so much so that you can visualize the stability of the infrastructure. Alongside this, the article was complimented with a little history and a dash of wit, which kept it interesting. Great article.
Iris Henderson
This was an interesting article, indeed. I love how the author broke up facts with wit. I had fun learning about the flying buttresses of Notre Dame. Although I have visited this sight in person, I have never really thought about how advanced the architecture must have been to build such a beautiful cathedral. Also, it was interesting to learn that it was built with the purpose of education and had a school attached to it! This was a very informative and fun read.
Kayla Lopez
I have always been fascinated with the architecture of buildings and the most beautiful, in my opinion, are those from the Gothic Age. I never stopped to wonder exactly how the builders managed to get the buildings to be so high so it was nice to find out that this was due to the innovation of the flying buttress. This article was written very well and I really enjoyed reading it.
Hanadi Sonouper
The article definitely kept me well informed about the historic monument of Paris. Not being personally aware with “The hunchback of Notre Dame,” it was indeed a fascinating article to read because it discussed the elements of how this historic landmark, created a name for itself by adapting a well known gothic romance novel, to even a highly recognized prestigious university. I liked how she used her use of syntax and diction to detail how the church was built for the Virgin Mary herself, and built upon the ruins of two other churches, “in the eastern end of the Ile de la Cite.” The fantastic architecture of this building seemed to far ahead of its era, its gothic age masters the elegance of everything a church should be. It has height, beautiful arches, natural lighting that embraces the open space to draw people in, and to pay respect to god and to share the abundance of faith with others.
Evelin Joseph
It was truly interesting to learn more about the Notre Dame Cathedral that was represented in the movie “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” I did not know that it was built as a cathedral to the Virgin Mary and is translated to mean “Our Lady of Paris.” It is really cool that it was built as an education center that was connected to the cathedral. The invention of the buttresses bought about greater buildings and architectural structures.
Mario Sosa
Although I have seen this lovely picture of the Notre Dame many times, I never knew just how gigantic it was for its time. It definitely must have been breathtaking to see this cathedral in person in the 12th century. It was interesting to learn that the Notre Dame was not just a place of worship, but also served as a school for education. I wonder how long it took to construct the Notre Dame. Great work on the article, good job!
Clarissa Bustamante
I think this was a really well written article! It is very interesting how a building from the 1100s is still active and being used today. I’ve always thought that the structure of the Notre Dame Cathedral is very breath taking. It is cool how the building had an influence in religion and also in education. I love how much you engaged the reader especially with the images you chose and also with your introduction!
Cherice Leach
What an interesting article. It astonishes me to know that a building that was built in the 1100’s is still functioning today. It’s also interesting to note that the Notre Dame we know, as Americans, was derived from this cathedral in Paris. Although this article wasn’t about the Notre Dame football team or the amazing Disney movie, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, it was still very interesting to read.
Joshua Breard
I think that the history regarding this cathedral is so rich and fascinating. Facts like how it was originally supposed to be an education center is something that you would not know about the place at first thought. I always wanted to visit this place but after reading this article, it has inspired me to make it a top priority to visit Notre Dame! Great article!
Cameron Ramirez
Best article I have read so far! I loved your introduction to your article. It not only grabs the readers attention but it adds a bit more substance and authenticity than many other articles I have read on StMU History Media. I’ve always loved the Gothic style architecture because it takes us back to late Middle Ages. I think it is important that we honor these amazing and mysterious buildings. Overall great work and the pictures you added help convey your article.