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Notre Dame de Paris

In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church was a dominant force in European daily life. Beginning in the twelfth century, a cathedral building craze swept medieval Europe, with hundreds of these houses of worship – many quite spectacular – being built over the next four hundred years. The cathedral was typically the biggest and grandest building, a public testament of the community’s commitment to the Church and to God.

One of the most famous of these medieval cathedrals is Notre Dame de Paris, or “Our Lady of Paris” in namesake city in France. It is considered to be one of the best examples of French Gothic architecture, which had evolved from the Romanesque style popular in the earlier Middle Ages. Defining characteristics of the Gothic style were the pointed arch, the ribbed vault, and the flying buttress – all found in Notre Dame. Such grandeur didn’t come quickly, though - construction on the cathedral began in the mid-twelfth century and was not completed until 1345. Hundreds of years later, Notre Dame is still an active church and is the cathedral of the Catholic archdiocese of Paris.

In this mini unit, you can learn about the Gothic architectural characteristics of Notre Dame, learn about the building history of the church, take a guided tour through pictures, draw your own picture and send it in to be displayed in the cathedral’s gallery in Paris and see the cathedral through the eyes of a famous literary character.

Reading

Gothic Characteristics of Notre Dame

Timeline

Notre Dame Building History

Multimedia

Tour the Cathedral

360-degree View of Notre Dame

Fun

Hang Your Drawing in Notre Dame’s Gallery

Read the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Recommended Resource

Cathedral
Cathedral begins in 1252, when the people of a fictitious French town named Chutreaux decide to build a cathedral after their existing church is struck by lightning. We first meet the craftspeople, then examine the tools, study their cathedral plans, and watch the laying of the foundation. Week by week we witness the construction of this glorious temple to God.

Author David Macaulay intuitively hones in on the details about which we are the most curious: How were those enormously high ceilings built and decorated? How were those 60-foot-high windows made and installed in the 13th century? And how did people haul those huge, heavy bells up into the skyscraper-high towers? Thanks to Macaulay's thorough, thoughtful tribute to the Gothic cathedral, not a stone, turret, or pane of stained glass is left unexamined or unexplained. (Amazon Review)

Book (Paperback)
Authors: David MacCauley

Amazon Price: $9.99

Read more about the book on Amazon