Notre Dame Cathedral

The height of the cathedral is 35 m, the length is 130 m, the width is 48 m, the height of the bell towers is 69 m, the weight of the Emmanuel bell in the south tower is 13 tons, its tongue is 500 kg.

The powerful and majestic facade is divided vertically into three parts by pilasters , and horizontally into three tiers by galleries, while the lower tier, in turn, has three deep portals: the portal of the Last Judgment (in the middle), the portal of the Virgin (left) and the portal of St. . Anne (right) ^[4] . Above them is an arcade (Gallery of Kings) with twenty-eight statues representing the kings of ancient Judea.

As in other Gothic temples, there is no wall painting, and the only source of light is the numerous stained glass windows of high lancet windows.

Property

Like other significant religious heritage sites in France, the cathedral is state-owned under the 1905 Law on the Separation of Churches and the State , and the Catholic Church has the right to eternal free use (Article 19 of the law expressly states that “the costs of maintaining the monuments are not subsidies”) ^{[5 ]} . In essence, this is an exception to Article 2, which prohibits subsidizing religion. The same law established the right of the public to freely visit the buildings listed.

Divine services and church status

Notre-Dame-de-Paris serves as the cathedral of the archdiocese of Paris , here is the chair of the Paris archbishop (since 2005, Andre Ven-Troyes has been the post). In solemn occasions, the Paris archbishop leads the liturgical services in the cathedral ^[6] . The priest responsible for the liturgical activities in the cathedral is appointed by the archdiocese and bears the title of rector of the cathedral (FR. "Recteur-archiprêtre"). Since 2016, this post has been held by ^[7] . Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the five churches of Paris, bearing the honorary title of the Small Basilica ^[8] .

Divine services in the cathedral are held regularly, on weekdays and Saturdays four masses and Vesperae services are held daily, on Sunday five masses, Matins (Laudes) and Vespers. Some of them take place on the main altar of the cathedral, some in chapels. Sunday evening mass takes place on the main altar and, as a rule, is led by the archbishop ^[9] .

According to modern archaeologists, on the site of Notre Dame de Paris were four different temples: 1) the early Christian church of the IV century; 2) Merovingian Basilica; 3) Carolingian Cathedral (rebuilt after the fire in 857 ^[10] ); and 4) Romanesque Cathedral. The latter was destroyed to the ground, and builders used its stones in the foundation of the current structure ^[11] .

Initial construction period (1163-1250)

Construction began in 1163, under Louis VII . The first stone in the foundation of the cathedral was laid by Pope Alexander III , who was in Paris from March 24 to April 25, 1163. Perhaps the construction work began even before the solemn consecration of the construction of the cathedral; the project itself was initiated by the bishop of Paris Maurice de Sully ^[12] at the beginning of his activities in this post ^[13] .

The walls of the cathedral choir were erected by 1177 ^[14] . The main altar of the cathedral was solemnly consecrated on May 19, 1182 by the legate of the Pontifical throne, Henri, Cardinal Bishop of Albano , which marked the end of the construction of the eastern side of the transept . In 1185, worship at the cathedral was conducted by the Jerusalem Patriarch Heracles ( Heraclius , Heraclius; Patriarch Heraclius of Jerusalem ). In 1186, the Duke of Brittany Joffrey was buried in the cathedral, and in 1190, Queen Isabella de Hainaut ^[13] .

The construction of the cathedral continued: in 1196, when the cathedral received, under the will of the deceased Bishop Maurice de Sully, 100 livres for a lead roof, the nave of the building was almost finished. The construction of the western facade , the future central entrance, with its distinctive two towers, began around 1200. In 1208, the houses closest to it, which interfered with construction, were demolished. ^[13]

In 1240, the construction of the southern bell tower was completed, then it was decided to abandon the idea of ​​completing the towers with spiers. The north tower was completed in 1250.

Second period (1250-1351)

For the transept (the crossbar of the cross on the plan), it was decided to build new facades: the north was built earlier than the south, rising from the foundation in 1257, as evidenced by an inscription engraved on the lower stone blocks ^[15] . The implementation of the spire on a roof covered with lead should also belong to the same period; the spire will be destroyed in the revolution (1789) and restored by the restorer of the cathedral Eugene Viollet-le-Duc in the 1840s. Until the beginning of the XIV century, the construction of side chapels continued in the cathedral ^[13] .

The main creators of Notre Dame are two architects ^[16] - Jean de Schel , who worked from 1250 to 1265 , and Pierre de Montreux (creator of the Holy Chapel ; d. 1267), who led the work in 1250-1267 ^[17] .

Many different architects took part in the construction of the cathedral, as evidenced by the western side and towers of different styles and different heights. The towers were finished in 1245, the interior decoration was completed in 1315, and the entire cathedral in 1345. In 1351, the fence was completed, isolating the liturgical choir, where the canons sat on folding chairs. After these significant works, with the exception of smaller modifications, the cathedral remained intact until the 18th century ^[13] .

18th century

According to the royal vow (1638) of the dedication of the Virgin to France in gratitude for the pregnancy of Anna of Austria after 23 years of childless marriage, the Paris Cathedral was to receive a new main altar and sculptural decorations. What was done only many decades later with the son of Louis XIII: in 1708-1725, the architect Robert de Cote completely redesigned the cathedral choir - the space in front of the main altar. During the work (May 1711), stone blocks were removed from the foundation under the throne - fragments of a column erected by the corporation of shipbuilders and boatmen of Lutetia , the Pillar of Shipbuilders ( Pilier des Nautes ) - part of the IV century building ^[18] . Now stone blocks with rich ornaments, as well as the layout of this Pillar, dedicated to the god Jupiter , are exhibited in the Cluny Museum .

During the French Revolution (from 1789), at the end of the 18th century, one of Robespierre ’s first decrees announced that if Parisians do not want “the stronghold of obscurantism to be demolished,” they must pay the Convention a bribe “for the needs of all revolutions that will happen with our help in other countries ” ^[17] . The cathedral was declared the Temple of the Mind. In July 1793, the Convention announced that "all emblems of all kingdoms must be wiped off the face of the earth," and Robespierre personally ordered the beheading of the "stone kings adorning churches."

19th Century Restoration

The cathedral was returned to the church and consecrated again in 1802 ^[17] , that year the Republican Senate extended the term of office of the consul Napoleon Bonaparte , who headed the French republic , from ten years to life (Aug. 2, 1802). Having proclaimed himself emperor (May 18, 1804), Bonaparte was crowned in the cathedral with his wife Josephine ; the solemn wedding and anointing of the kingdom was performed by Pope Pius VII (2 Dec. 1804).

The cathedral itself was in a deplorable state, the question was raised about its demolition. In 1831, Victor Hugo published the novel Notre Dame de Paris, writing in a note: “One of my main goals is to inspire the nation with love for our architecture” ^[17] . The restoration began in 1841 under the direction of the architect Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879). This famous Parisian restorer was also involved in the restoration of Amiens Cathedral, the Carcassonne fortress in southern France and the Gothic church of Saint-Chapelle . The restoration of the building and sculptures, the replacement of broken statues ^[19] and the construction of the famous spire lasted 23 years. Viollet-le-Duc also owns the idea of ​​a gallery of chimeras on the facade of the cathedral: statues of chimeras are installed on the upper platform at the foot of the towers. In the same years, the buildings adjacent to the cathedral were demolished, as a result of which the current square was formed in front of its facade.

XX century

From 1965 to 1972, archaeological excavations were conducted in the square in front of the cathedral, led by the Paris archaeological inspector Michel Fleury (1923-2002) ^[20] .

850th Anniversary of the Cathedral (2013)

For the anniversary events in honor of the 850th anniversary of the cathedral (lasting almost a year - from December 12, 2012 to November 24, 2013) nine new bells were cast for the cathedral (the total cost of creating new bells was estimated at 2 million euros) ^[21] , the organ was also reconstructed . A number of religious and cultural initiatives were timed to coincide with the anniversary, the preparation of which was jointly undertaken by the Paris archdiocese and the authorities of the French capital. In January , the French Post issued two commemorative postage stamps . A specially created “pilgrim route” helped to get acquainted with little-known facts about the territory adjacent to the cathedral and the secrets of the courtyard ^[22] .

In May 2013, the famous French writer and essayist Dominic Venner committed suicide in front of the cathedral’s altar in defense of traditional values ^[23] .

April 2019 Fire

On April 15, 2019, a catastrophic fire broke out in the cathedral ^[24] , resulting in the loss (as a result of collapse) of the spire, clock ^[25] and roof ^{[26] [27] [28]} . The frame of the building was saved ^{[29] [30]} . The French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte stated that the cost of restoring the burnt cathedral of Notre Dame would be approximately one billion euros ^[31] .

Cathedral Ceremonies

The cathedral with its magnificent interior decoration for many centuries served as a venue for royal weddings, imperial coronations and national funerals. In 1302, the General States , the first parliament of France, met for the first time in it ^[17] . Here, a thanksgiving prayer was served by Charles VII (1447), crowned in Reims. And six days before Bartholomew’s night - on August 18, 1572, the wedding of Henry, King of Navarre , and the sister of the French King Margarita de Valois took place ^[17] .

List of historical events inside the cathedral

• 1229 - on Holy Thursday, a humiliating scene of repentance (“ Amand the ship”) in front of the church of the renounced Count of Toulouse Raimund .
• 1239 - the ceremonial transfer by Louis IX of the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ, which will be kept in the cathedral until the completion of the construction of Saint Chapelle (1242-1248).
• 1302 - Philippe IV opens the first parliament of the Kingdom of France - the General States .
• 1431 - December 16, the coronation of ten-year-old Henry of England by the French king, but not recognized: in 1429, Charles VII was crowned Charles of Reims in 1429 (events of the Hundred Years War, 1337-1453 ).
• 1447 - Charles VII praises the Lord for the liberation of Paris.
• 1456 - the beginning of the rehabilitation court of Joan of Arc .
• 1558 - April 24, the marriage of Queen of Scotland Mary Stuart and Dauphin Francois (future King Francis II ).
• 1559 - June 22 marriage by proxy of the French Princess Elizabeth Valois with the Spanish King Philip II .
• 1572 - August 18 (six days before Bartholomew’s night ) the marriage of Margarita de Valois and Heinrich of Navarre (future Henry IV ).
• 1594 - crowned in Chartres (February 27, 1594) and without a fight entered Paris on March 22, Henry IV is present that day at the Mass of Thanksgiving for the victory over the Catholic League .
• 1660 - Te Deum on the occasion of the marriage of Louis XIV . The general, the Duke of Luxembourg, sent to the ceremony the standards seized from the enemy , for which he was nicknamed the " draper " ( French tapissier ).
• 1668 - the renunciation of the chief marshal of France Turenne from the Protestant faith.
• 1687 - Bishop Bossuet delivered a laudatory speech to the great Conde .
• 1793 - November 10 (20 Brumaire II years ), the cathedral becomes the temple of the Mind, where the cult of the Mind and the Supreme Being will be practiced.
• 1804 - December 2, Napoleon Bonaparte is crowned emperor of the French in the presence of Pope Pius VII .
• 1811 - June, the baptism of the son of Napoleon, proclaimed by him the King of Rome .
• 1853 - January 30, the marriage of Napoleon III .
• 1856 - baptism of the imperial heir .
• 1896 - July 19 requiem for the Marquis de Morès , who was killed by rebels in Tunisia.
• 1923 - the solemn funeral of the writer Maurice Barres .
• 1929 - the solemn funeral of Marshal Foch .
• 1934 - the solemn funeral of President Raymond Poincare
• 1944 - in April, the celebration of Marshal Pétain by Cardinal and Archbishop of Paris Seward .
• 1944 - in June, a requiem for the murdered Secretary of State for Information and Propaganda of the Vichy regime, Philippe Henriot, by the same archbishop.
• 1944 - August 26 performance of the Magnificat in honor of the liberation of Paris , in the presence of Generals de Gaulle and Leclerc .
• 1945 - May 9, Cardinal Seward meets in the Cathedral of General de Gaulle , members of the government and ambassadors of the United States, USSR and Great Britain; a service is performed with the singing of “ Te Deum ” and the performance of the “ Marseillaise ” on a large organ.
• 1955 - in February, the solemn funeral of the poet and playwright Paul Claudel .
• 2007 - January 26, the funeral of Abbot Pierre .
• 2015 - November 15, a memorial mass on the victims of terrorist attacks in Paris .

Cathedral Square

Площадь перед собором (разг. « parvis de Notre-Dame », нотр-дамовская паперть ; официально parvis Notre-Dame - place Jean-Paul-II ) окружена рекой Сеной , старейшей городской больницей Отель-Дьё (c 651 года) и казарменным строением городской префектуры ( Préfecture de police de Paris ), откуда с треугольного фронтона прямо на собор взирает венценосная фригийская богиня Кибела (Цибелла). На площади находятся французский « нулевой километр », археологическая крипта и бронзовая .

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  Городская префектура напротив собора

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  Нулевой километр

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  Археологическая крипта

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  Памятник Карлу Великому, скульптор Луи Роше (1878)

Западный фасад (главный вход)

Три портала

Главный фасад собора имеет три стрельчатых портала входов, над которыми скульптурные панно с разными эпизодами из Евангелия .

Над центральным входом помещено изображение Страшного суда . По семь статуй поддерживают арки входа ( 1210 г.). В центре Христос -Судия. На нижней перемычке изображены мертвецы, вставшие из могил. Их разбудили два ангела с трубами. Среди мертвецов — один король, один папа, воины и женщины (символизирует присутствие на Страшном суде всего человечества). На верхнем тимпане — Христос и два ангела с двух сторон. Двери украшены коваными рельефами.

Галерея ветхозаветных царей

Каменные фигуры, выстроившиеся в ряд выше порталов и ниже яруса с окнами-розами, изображают царей из Ветхого Завета . Во время Революции они были скинуты и обезглавлены. Те, что находятся сейчас, выполнены в XIX веке.

В 1977 году при проведении работ под одним из домов часть статуй была обнаружена. Оказалось, что во время Революции один хозяин дома их выкупил, якобы для фундамента, а на самом деле захоронил их со всеми почестями и возвёл на этом месте свой дом ^[32] .

Западная роза

Роза главного входа была выполнена около 1220 года, под конец царствования Филиппа Августа , и занимает центральное место на западном фасаде. Это круг, фигура беспредельности и бесконечности, заключённая в квадрат — символ сотворённого и материального ^[33] . Западная роза — одна из трёх соборных роз XIII века и самая старинная из них: её витражи были оформлены около 1230 года и представляют ассоциацию « Психомахии » (сражения пороков с добродетелями; Psychomachie ), Зодиака и сезонных сельских работ ^[34] . Как снаружи, так и изнутри в центр венчика окна-цветка помещена Богоматерь с Младенцем ^[35] .

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  Роза западного фасада

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  снаружи

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  and from the inside.

Towers and bells

The towers of the main facade are not exactly the same; the north tower is more massive than the south (closest to the Seine ); Until the beginning of the 15th century, bells were only in the north tower ^[36] . During the revolution, some bells were remelted, and restored only in 1856 during the restoration of the cathedral. In 2012, to the 850th anniversary of the cathedral, the belfry was seriously updated, the bells were made using old technologies. The largest and heaviest old bell, Emmanuel, which survived during the revolutionary events (cast in the 17th century from bronze of the bell of the 15th century) was re-suspended in 2017, its outdated drive was replaced by a computerized one.

The large bell Emmanuelle (ringing in f-sharp tone) is the third largest and second largest in France, ringing on important occasions, during the days of great mourning and on major Christian holidays (Christmas, Easter and Ascension). The rest of the bells ring at 8 and 19 hours.

In the 2019 fire, one of the main dangers was the spread of fire on the belfry, since the bells were suspended on wooden structures. When they burned, Emmanuel, collapsing with his weight on the floors, could bring down the southern tower and half of the western facade.

Old (1856) bells set aside in 2012 (located in the museum) ^[37] :

• "Angelique Françoise", weighing 1765 kg (C sharp);
• "Antoinette Charlotte", weighing 1158 kg (re-sharp);
• Hyacinthe Jeanne, weighing 813 kg (fa);
• "Denise David", weighing 670 kg (f-sharp).

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  The main facade in Fig. Scottish D. Roberts (1828)

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  Towers, view from the roof of the cathedral (photo, 1892)

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  Tourists bypassing the north (left) and south towers (2008)

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  New bells (Feb. 2013) before being hoisted in the towers

Northern facade

South Facade

East Apse

The oldest part of the cathedral. The apse is supported by arkbutans with a radius of 15 meters, the work of , the cathedral architect in 1318–1344.

Roof, Gargoyles and Spire

The roof of the cathedral is made of 5 mm thick lead tiles overlapped, and the weight of the entire roof is 210 tons. During its restoration in the 19th century, the architect Viollet-le-Duc took the medieval roof of the Chartres Cathedral as a model, laid out from long narrow plates before the fire of 1836 ^[38] .

The upper part of the cathedral is decorated with images of gargoyles (protruding ends of beams decorated with the faces of fantastic creatures) and chimeras (statues of fantastic creatures). In the Middle Ages , there were no chimeras at the cathedral. Put them, taking the model of medieval gargoyles, came up with the restorer Viollet-le-Duc. Fifteen sculptors performed by Geoffroy-Deschamps ( Adolphe-Victor Geoffroy-Dechaume ; 1816-1892) completed them.

The oak, lead-covered spire of the cathedral (also added by the restorer instead of dismantled in 1786) has a height of 96 meters. The base of the spire is surrounded by four groups of bronze statues of the apostles (the work of Geoffrey-Deschoms). In front of each group there is a winged figure - tetramorph , a symbol of the evangelist : a lion - a symbol of Mark , a Taurus - Luke , an eagle - John and an angel - Matthew . All statues look at Paris , except St. Thomas , the patron saint of architects, who faces the spire and touches his forehead with his hand.

During the fire of 2019, the lead roof and rafters were lost. The statues of the apostles were not engulfed in fire; shortly before the fire, they were removed for restoration. The spire collapsed during the fire, breaking through the arches of the central nave in several places.

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  Apostles of the northwest group of sculptures and chimeras of the north tower

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  Southwest: Three Apostles and the Winged Taurus

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  Southeast: three apostles and an eagle

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  Apostle Thomas is given the face of the restorer of the cathedral

Inside the cathedral, transepts (transverse naves ), intersecting with the main longitudinal, form a cross in plan, but in Notre Dame transepts are somewhat wider than the nave itself. In the center of the long nave is a sequential series of sculptural scenes from the Gospel.

In the chapels located on the right side of the cathedral there are paintings and sculptures of various artists, which, according to a centuries-old tradition, are donated to the cathedral annually on the first day of May.

The chandelier of the cathedral (chandelier) is made of silver-plated bronze according to the design of Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, instead of being re-melted in 1792. (In 2007, taken for restoration.)

Stained Glass

The cathedral has 110 glazed windows through which daylight pours. The first stained glass windows of Notre Dame underwent radical changes after 1300, then there was the “vandalism of the canons of the eighteenth century”, described by the art historian Louis Réau ( Louis Réau ; 1881–1961) and the repetition of vandal changes of the fourteenth century ^[39] . The unique, preserved medieval stained glass windows in the cathedral are only the glass of three large roses - creations of the 13th century, exceeding the size of similar masterpieces of French Gothic (9.60 m in diameter at the western, central entrance and about 13 m at the north and south transept exits) ^[34] . The western rose marks the incarnation of God , the two transept roses, the north and the south, called the " Saint Louis roses", depict the course of the Sacred History from the Old to the New Testament. The northern one is dedicated to the long expectation of the Messiah , the southern one is to the outpouring of Light. It is believed that the king donated the sum for their manufacture, and, according to legend, even postponed the beginning of his crusade (1249) to see the result of the work ^[40] .

Medieval glass - massive and uneven, contains air bubbles and random inclusions. Stained glass artists of the cathedral skillfully used such “defects” to enhance sparkling, shadows, reflections, flickering, varying shades and flashes of light ^[35] . The names of the first stained glass artists did not survive. In the eighteenth century, the master craftsmen- glaziers were Claude Louis Dulac and Pierre Le Vieil (1708-1772), author of books on mosaic and stained glass art (Paris, 1768 and 1774) ^[39] . A significant part of the stained-glass windows was made in the middle of the XIX century.

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  The rose of the western facade is partially covered by an organ

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  North rose

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  South rose

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  Stained glass apse in the center
  the glorification of the already crowned Mother of God ^[41]

The main entrance rose

The western rose , the oldest of the three, was made around 1220 and restored in the 16th, 18th and 19th centuries. The lower part of the rose is hidden by the body of a large organ. In the center of the western rose is the Immaculate Virgin with a Baby in her left hand and a rod in her right, sitting on a blue background with six red stars; baby Jesus holds the power in his left palm and points upward with the double fingers of his right hand. The central medallion with the Madonna is surrounded by a corolla of 12 identical petals with the image of a red heraldic lily . Around the center are two concentric circles of stained-glass petals. The inner circle of stained glass windows depicts 12 large, framed by a red line of petals and four-leafed medallions ( quatre-feuilles ) with seated biblical prophets broadcasting the coming of Christ . The second concentric circle doubles the number of stained glass windows: on 24 small circles or spheres - 12 vices (above) and 12 zodiac signs (below), and on the outer 24 four-leafed leaves - 12 virtues above and 12 seasonal (monthly) rural works below, just opposite Zodiac signs of the inner circle. Examples of rural work: falconry in May, threshing wheat in August, sowing winter crops in November ^[42] .

In the upper half of the rose there is a theme of virtues and vices from the work “ Psychomachia ” by the ancient Roman poet Prudentia , a native of Spain, at the 57th year of his life retired from the world to devote the rest of his years to glorifying Christianity in verses. In the outer circle, virtues are represented by 12 seated women in crowns. Each with one hand holds a round, red shield with its own emblem (for example, a lamb for meekness ), and with the other a long lance pointing to the underlying vice. The group of virtues is static, and the characters of vices are in an excited state ^[43] .

During the restoration of Viollet-le-Duc, stained glass artist Alfred Gérente worked on this rose, replacing and restoring many panels, including the missing central corolla. Since the 13th century, 10 stained glass panels have survived. French art historians attribute this rose, as well as the northern rose of Lansky Cathedral , to the masterpieces of that period ^[44] .

Transept Roses

North

The northern rose - on the theme of the Old Testament - was glazed around 1255 and perhaps, like the other transept rose, was worked by craftsmen who worked until 1248 on the stained glass windows of the royal Saint Chapelle ^[45] . This rose with a diameter of 12.9 meters is enclosed in a square on top of an openwork frieze, which together gives a huge stained glass window 18.5 meters high. Gothic style in its prime, the walls are no longer bearing, hence the opportunity to cover vast spaces with stained-glass windows. And the architect Jean de Shell put all his knowledge and skills in order to achieve the size of window sockets, unprecedented even in the construction ^[44] .

In the center of the rose is the Mother of God with the Baby in the circle (sphere) of the corolla surrounded by eight petals. Number 8 - a symbol of the resurrection of Christ and man and eternal life - doubles in the next circle of 16 stained glass-petals (16 prophets) and doubles again in the outer circle of 32 petals ( kings of Israel and Judea and the judge ). The regalia of kings is the crown and the “ hand of justice ” ( Main de justice ), the rod of French kings from the 13th century. Among the kings - Patriarch Abraham , Moses with the radiant horns of light and the Tablets of the Testament , King David with a harp. Along the perimeter of the rose there are 32 shamrock medallions with images along the waist (to the waist) of the Old Testament kings and high priests . The lower corners of the stained glass square are decorated with a six-petalled medallion and shamrocks: on the right, the Antichrist decapitates Enoch and Elijah , on the left - the death of the Antichrist ^[46] . Only 80 medallions with characters ^[45] .

Art historian Emil Mal (1862-1954) called the northern rose, distinguished by its general violet tone, “a beautiful mourning flower” ^[47] . He is a symbol of the long wait for the Savior . The stained-glass windows of this rose underwent restoration less than others; their best preservation is explained by the fact that the northern side is less susceptible to temperature changes. The lower frieze of the 18 kings of Judea is the stained-glass windows of the restoration of the 19th century, instead of the originals destroyed in the 18th century. Their color scheme is very different from the tone of the rose ^[48] .

South

The southern rose - on the theme of the New Testament - dates from about 1260 and has a diameter of 12.9 meters, it includes 85 stained glass panels, divided into four concentric circles; 12 medallions are considered genuine, eight are modern ^[49] . Symbolizes the end of a long wait, the outpouring of the Promised Light. Under the rose is a window "picket fence" ( claire-voie ) ^[48] .

The wall began to be erected under the architect Jean de Schell , after whose death Pierre de Montreuil took up work in Saint-Chapelle and the cathedral. The construction work that he continued in the cathedral was completed around the year of the death of King Louis IX in Tunisia (1270). In the sixteenth century, repair of dilapidated material was necessary (1543 ^[45] ), even a complete reconstruction was planned, but without consequences. In the years 1725-1727, the architect Germain Beaufrand (1667-1754) was engaged in the renovation of masonry at the expense of Cardinal de Noailles ( Louis-Antoine de Noailles ; 1651-1729). The sum of 80 thousand livres was an exceptional gift to the cathedral, the fashion for the Gothic style passed, so the empty crown of roses was glazed with a stained glass window with a cardinal coat of arms. Later, in 1760-1764, when the rose was repaired by Guillaume Brice, the technique of medieval stained glass was already lost and, not being an artist, the master selected the right parts from his collection of old stained glass. The stained glass window was replenished with seven scenes from the life of St. Matthew , surviving from the stained glass window of the 1180s ^[45] . Losing its original meaning, the rose continued to exist on the southern wall, highly susceptible to climatic, especially temperature changes ^[48] .

In the 19th century, during the restoration, due to necessity, the decayed stone part of the rose was strengthened, which made it distinguishable from a more delicate and light northern rose. Stained glass artist Alfred Gérente restored glass in 1861, as evidenced by the inscription under Christ in the central corolla of the rose. In the very center, the coat of arms of Cardinal de Noaille gave way to a seated Christ from apocalyptic visions - with a sword in his mouth, a barrier between truth and error. The central medallion is surrounded by four petals. Under the feet of Christ, a book with seven seals ( Livre aux sept sceaux ) and a lamb on it, capable of opening a sealed book and looking at Christ. In the other three petals around the center there are tetramorph figures: a lion on the left, an angel with an eagle on top and a Taurus on the right. The first concentric circle is 12 petals; the second is 24; the third - 12 four-leafed and 12 small shamrocks; the fourth - 24 large shamrocks. The miniatures of the first two circles depict the apostles , the holy martyrs, and the Solomon court ( Jugement de Salomon ). Among the characters are Dionysius of Paris , Pofin of Lyons , Laurentius of Rome with his lattice, prudent virgins and St. Paul . In the third circle of four-leafed and trefoil-medallions with martyrs, wise virgins and eight scenes from the story of St. Matthew , one of the legends of the Golden Legend collection, by Jacob Voraginsky (c. 1266). Along the periphery in 24 miniatures of the trefoil - 20 angels carrying a candle, a crown or a censer , one martyr, flight to Egypt and the healing of a paralyzed. In the lower corners of the stained glass square, on the left, the image of descent into hell stands between original sin and Moses with brother Aaron , and on the right, the Resurrection of Christ is between Peter and Paul and John and Mary Magdalene . ^[50]

The lower frieze under the rose lost its stained glass windows in the 18th century. In the 19th century, when restoring glass, it was supposed to be transparent at first, but Prosper Merime insisted that they be made similar to medieval ones. Alfred Gerant made new ones, taking as a model the stained-glass windows of the southern exit of the transept of the Chartres Cathedral . On the frieze there are 16 Old Testament prophets, in the center four of them carry four evangelists on their shoulders, which associates Isaiah with Matthew , Jeremiah with Luke , Ezekiel with John , and Daniel with Mark ^[51] .

Authority

The first large organ was installed in the cathedral in 1402. For these purposes, they used the old organ, placed in a new Gothic building.

During its life, the organ was repeatedly completed and reconstructed. The most important are the restoration, reconstruction and expansion of Thierry in 1733, Francois-Henri Clicquot in 1788, Aristide Cavaye-Cole in 1868, and Boyceau in 1960, as well as collaboration with Sinaptel in 1992, which allowed to fully computerize the organ . Since the restoration of Thierry, the instrument has consisted of 46 registers located on five manuals. During its construction, most of the pipes of the original tool were used, 12 of which have survived to the present. The organ also acquired its current building with a facade in the style of Louis XVI.

In 1864-1867, the leading French organ-builder of the 19th century Aristide Cavaye-Col completed a complete reorganization of the organ. The baroque instrument acquired a romantic sound typical of Kawaii Kol. The number of registers was increased to 86, mechanical traction was equipped with Barker levers .

Among several other composers, Cesar Frank and Camille Saint-Saens played on this organ. The position of titular organist of Notre Dame Cathedral, along with the organist position of Saint Sulpice Cathedral, is considered one of the most prestigious in France. С 1900 по 1937 год этот пост занимал Луи Вьерн , при участии которого инструмент был расширен в 1902 и 1932 годах, а его трактура заменена на электро-пневматическую.

В 1959 году консоль Кавайе-Коля была заменена на консоль традиционную для американских органов, а трактура стала полностью электрической, для чего использовалось более 700 км медного кабеля. Однако сложность и архаичность подобной конструкции, а также частые отказы привели к тому, что в процессе очередной реконструкции органа в 1992 году управление инструментом было компьютеризировано, а медный кабель заменен оптическим.

В настоящее время орган имеет 110 регистров и около 7400 труб, примерно 900 из которых из инструмента времен Тьерри и Клико. Это самый большой по числу регистров орган Франции (по количеству труб его превосходит орган церкви Сент-Эсташ). . В 1985 году были назначены сразу четыре титулярных органиста, каждый из которых по традиции XVIII века проводил службы по три месяца в году. С 1990 года титулярными органистами собора Нотр-Дам-де-Пари являются трое музыкантов: Оливье Латри, Филипп Лефевр, Жан-Пьер Лёгю.

Реликвии

В соборе хранится одна из великих христианских реликвий — Терновый венец Иисуса Христа. До 1063 года венец находился на горе Сион в Иерусалиме , откуда его перевезли во дворец византийских императоров в Константинополе. Балдуин II де Куртенэ , последний император Латинской империи , был вынужден заложить реликвию в Венеции, но из-за нехватки средств её не на что было выкупить. В 1238 году король Франции Людовик IX Святой приобрёл венец у византийского императора. 18 августа 1239 года король внёс его в Нотр-Дам-де-Пари. В 1243—1248 годах при королевском дворце на острове Сите была построена Сент-Шапель (Святая часовня) для хранения Тернового венца, который находился здесь до Французской революции. Позднее венец был передан в сокровищницу Нотр-Дам-де-Пари.

Также в Соборе Прижской Богоматери хранятся следующие святыни: частица Креста, на котором распяли Иисуса Христа, а также один из гвоздей, которыми Его прибивали к Кресту ^[52] . Кроме того, в соборе хранится туника короля Людовика IX Святого XIII века.

После пожара в соборе 15 апреля 2019 года эти реликвии были перенесены в мэрию Парижа ^[53] .

Ежегодно собор посещают 14 миллионов человек, он является одним из самых известных памятников в Европе .

К редким сохранившимся изображениям собора в Средние века относится работа живописца Жана Фуке в иллюминированном манускрипте « Часослов Этьена Шевалье » (ок. 1452—1460), выполненном для Этьена Шевалье , бывшего главным казначеем (1452—1461) при Карле VII ^[54] .

В художественной литературе

Собор является главным «действующим лицом» следующих произведений:

• Виктор Гюго . « Собор Парижской Богоматери (роман) » (1831).
• Осип Мандельштам . «Notre Dame» (1912).
• Елена Чудинова . « Мечеть Парижской Богоматери (роман) » (2004).

В кинематографе

• « Операция «Ы» и другие приключения Шурика » (1965).

• Notre-Dame de Paris — La grâce d'une cathédrale / Вен-Труа, Андре . — Страсбург: Nuée bleue, 2012. — 501 с. — ( La Grâce d'une Cathédrale ). — ISBN 978-2-8099-0798-8 .

• Сайт собора
• Нотр-Дам-де-Пари в Киножурнале «Хочу всё знать» на YouTube