It is one of the most famous monuments of French capital Paris: the cathedral Notre-dame de Paris. On April 15, 2019 a devastating fire destroyed large parts of the historic building. Here are seven facts about Notre-dame:
1. The name: Notre-dame de Paris. In English it means “Our Lady of Paris.” Many churches are named Notre dame – all of them are sanctified to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
2. Who owns the cathedral? According to a law of 1905, Notre-Dame de Paris is among 70 churches in Paris that are owned by the French state – although the Catholic Church is the designated beneficiary. With an exclusive right to use the building for religious purposes.
3. Famous events: Many special celebrations have happened in or around Notre-dame. One is extra interesting: On 10 November 1793 the Festival of Reason was celebrated in the church. The Cult of Reason, in French: Culte de la Raison, was the country’s first established state-sponsored atheistic religion, intended as a replacement for Roman Catholicism during the French Revolution.
4. The building: Until the completion of the Eiffel Tower in 1889, Notre-dame was the tallest building in Paris. Both towers are 69 meters tall. While the southern tower was built first, between 1220 and 1240. The north tower was built between 1235 and 1250. The whole cathedral was built from 1163 to 1345.
5. Since 1979 Notre-dame is one of UNESCO’s world heritages.
6. Around 13 million people come to visit Notre-dame each year. What makes it the second famous spot in Paris. With Disneyland on position one, based on the number of visits.
7. The official address: Notre-dame is located at 6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France.
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