Built 1163–1345, Notre‑Dame advanced rib vaults, flying buttresses, and rose windows. Ravaged in the Revolution and revived by Viollet‑le‑Duc (1844–64), it suffered a devastating 2019 fire. A faithful restoration culminated in a 2024 reopening, reaffirming its liturgical and cultural centrality.
On the Île de la Cité, Bishop Maurice de Sully launched the cathedral in 1163. The choir consecrated in 1182; nave and façade rose across the 13th century, with the west towers completed by 1345.
Rib vaults lifted the interior; flying buttresses countered thrust to permit soaring walls and expansive stained glass. Three famed roses and sculpted portals encoded doctrine in light and stone.
Desecrated during the French Revolution, the cathedral decayed until Romanticism and Hugo’s 1831 novel spurred preservation. Viollet‑le‑Duc restored fabric and added the iconic spire. On 15 April 2019, fire consumed the medieval oak roof and toppled the spire; firefighters saved vaults, towers, and much glazing.
A meticulously documented reconstruction reinstated the 19th‑century spire and reedified the oak‑and‑lead roof, culminating in a 2024 reopening. As archiepiscopal seat and national emblem, Notre‑Dame again hosts liturgy, music, and millions of visitors.
