Paris in the Spring – Notre Dame Cathedral

When you visit Notre Dame in Paris, the main action is in the front, but don’t forget to walk around the entire cathedral. Every angle is breathtaking! There is also a children’s park on this side that is very peaceful. There’s also a fountain if you need to fill your water bottles or wash up. Kids can get messy when they play.

From The Culture Trip

The first stone was laid three years later in the presence of King Louis VII Le Jeune and Pope Alexander III. The first period of construction in the building’s history lasted for almost 200 years, during which numerous architects such as Jean de Chelles, Pierre de Montreuil, Pierre de Chelles, Jean Ravy, and Jean le Bouteiller contributed to its new Gothic style. It was finally completed in 1345.

One of the first momentous events in Notre-Dame’s story came in 1431 when Henry VI, the King of England, was also crowned the King of France on December 16 amid the Hundred Years War. Earlier that year, the conflict had claimed the life of one of the most discussed figures in French history, the 19-year-old Joan of Arc, who was burned at the stake as a heretic. On July 7, 1456, an inquiry found her innocent of all crimes and declared her a martyr. In 1909, she was beatified in Notre-Dame by Pope Pius X, and made a saint 11 years later. [read more…]