The Notre Dame sits on the Ile de la Cite in the center of Paris. Construction was begun in 1163 and finally finished in 1345. The church is dedicated to "our lady" (notre dame) and features Mary cradling God in the center window.
There's often a line to get in--enter through the doors on the right and exit through the left. When we arrived on Monday afternoon, surprisingly, there was no line. Entrance to the church is free. Climb the bell towers for a fee--find the line to the left of the church.
Gargoyles, which serve as rainspouts, dot the facade. This one is the most photographed--a bored gargoyle.
One of the famed rose windows.
Point Zero, located just outside the church. This is the point from which all distances are measured in France.
View of the Notre Dame from Pont de L'Archeveche. Notice the flying buttresses which support the roof.
We discovered that on Good Friday and the 1st Friday of the month, the crown of thorns is presented at the 3 pm service. Attend the service and you can see the relic. We happened to be in Paris on the 1st Friday of the month and went to the Notre Dame to see the crown of thorns. This time, there was a long line to get into the church. Hard to believe this is 2015 years old.
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