When
one is shown an example of Gothic architecture it is a
good bet that the example will be that of Notre Dame de
Paris (the name meaning literally “Our Lady of Paris).
It is known the world over for its stained glass windows,
its towering spires, its gargoyles, and a hunchbacked
character from Victor Hugo’s novel. The real Notre
Dame is as magnificent as its reputation, and it has a
long history. The site of the cathedral (as with many
buildings in an ancient city like Paris) is filled with
a history all its own. Before that cathedral was built
the site was a Romanesque church, before that a Christian
basilica, and before that a Gallo-Roman temple to Jupiter,
and before that it is believed that Celts worshiped at
the site. When you tread on the site of Notre Dame you
are treading through a vortex of history itself. |
