In light of the recent tragic fire, here’s a look at the incredible history surrounding the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.
1160: The Basilica of Saint Étienne (which was built on the site of a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter) torn down to make way for the Cathedral of Notre Dame
1163: Cornerstone laid by Pope Alexander III
1177: Choir completed
1182: High Altar consecrated
1225: Western facade completed
1240: North Tower completed
1245–1260s: Transepts remodelled in the rayonnant style by Jean de Chelles then Pierre de Montreuil
1250: Western towers, north rose window, and south tower completed
14th Century: New flying buttresses added to apse and choir
1345: Construction completed
1413: A large statue of St. Christopher is erected
1431: Henry VI, the King of England crowned King of France as well
1548: Huguenots damaged some of the statues
17th Century: Restoration is done under the wishes of King Louis XIII; first organ is installed
1643–1774: Numerous alterations made to the Cathedral; the sanctuary was re-arranged; the choir was largely rebuilt in marble, and many of the stained glass windows from the 12th and 13th century were removed and replaced with white glass windows, to bring more light into the church.
1786: Statue of St. Christopher destroyed
1804: Napoleon crowns himself emperor inside the Cathedral
18th Century: Wind-damaged spire removed
1793: The Cathedral is rededicated to the Cult of Reason during the French Revolution.
The French Revolution: The Cathedral is again rededicated to the Cult of the Supreme Being; many treasures of the Cathedral were destroyed or plundered; the heads of the 28 statues of Biblical kings were beheaded because they were mistaken for French kings; the Goddess of Liberty replaced the Virgin Mary on some altars; With the exception of the statue of Mary on the portal of the cloister, all of the large statues on the facade were destroyed; the Cathedral was also used for food storage and other non-religious purposes during this time
July 1801: Napoleon Bonaparte signs an agreement to return the Cathedral to the Church
April 18, 1802: Formal transfer of the Cathedral back to the Church
December 2, 1804: Napoleon crowns himself emperor inside the Cathedral
May 3, 1814: King Louis XVIII returns to France at the start of the Bourbon Restoration and heads directly to the Cathedral to hear a Te Deum composed by Lesueur
1831: Publication of Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame; its success leads to renewed interest in Notre-Dame
1844: King Louis Phillippe orders the restoration of the Cathedral; the restoration lasts 25 years
19th Century: Organ rebuilt 6,900 new pipes added to the 900 pipes from the previous design
20th Century: Electric motors installed to ring the bells
1909: Pope Saint Pius X beatifies Joan of Arc in the Cathedral
1935: Three relics are placed in the spire: Part of the Crown of Thorns and relics of Paris’ two patrons Sts. Denis and Genivieve
World War II: 13th-century rose windows removed out of fear of Nazi vandalism or looting
August 1944: During the liberation of Paris, several stray bullets cause minor damage to the exterior of the Cathedral; some of the medieval glass windows were damaged and replaced with windows featuring modern, abstract designs
August 26, 1944: Special Mass to celebrate the liberation of Paris from the Germans; Generals Charles De Gaulle and Philippe Leclerc attend
April 16, 1945: US soldiers fill the Cathedral for a memorial service for President Franklin D. Roosevelt
1963: To commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Cathedral, the exterior of the Cathedral is cleaned of centuries of soot and grime, restoring it to its original off-white color
January 19, 1969: A North Vietnamese flag flies from the spire following negotiations of a possible cease-fire in the Vietnam War
1977: A nearby excavation finds the heads from the statues that were beheaded in the French Revolution
1991: Major cleaning and restoration begins; stones damaged by air pollution replaced; discreet system of wires placed on the roof to deter pigeons
1992: Organ computerized
August 22, 1997: Founder of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Frédéric Ozanam is beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II in the Cathedral
2013: Year-long celebrations to mark the 850th anniversary of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame
2014: The lighting in the Cathedral is updated
November 15, 2015: The national prayer service for the victims of the Paris terror attack is held in the Cathedral
April 15, 2019: Notre-Dame Cathedral catches fire
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