Buzz
On December 8, 2024, the renowned Notre Dame Cathedral will welcome visitors again after being fully restored following the devastating 2019 fire. Although it won’t be ready in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics, it remains an eagerly awaited moment for millions. This reopening celebrates the enduring spirit of a monument that has withstood eight centuries of history.
The construction of Notre Dame spanned two centuries. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage site and attracted millions of visitors each year before the fire, and it will continue to do so in the future. Tourists will not only marvel at the stunning architecture and engineering, but also immerse themselves in a rich historical atmosphere filled with intriguing secrets. In this list, we explore some of these hidden stories, which will make your visit to Notre Dame an unforgettable journey.
10. The Middle Eastern Influence
While Gothic architecture is often thought of as uniquely European, studies indicate there may be more Middle Eastern influence than we realize. For example, the twin towers of Notre Dame are inspired by a 5th-century Syrian church known as Qalb Lozeh. Frankish crusaders in the 12th century brought this design back to Europe, planting the seeds of the Gothic architectural style.
The Gothic pointed arch is thought to have been inspired by Islamic designs, notably first appearing in the Ibn Tulun mosque in Cairo. Ribbed vaulting was influenced by the 8th-century Abbasid palace of Ukhaider in Iraq. The Rose Window drew its inspiration from the Umayyad palace of Khirbat Mafjar near Jericho, and the spire originated from the mosque in Damascus.
Pointed arches, ribbed vaults, rose windows, and spires came to define the Gothic style. It’s no surprise that the renowned architect Sir Christopher Wren preferred to label the style as Saracenic (Arab Muslim) rather than Gothic.
9. St. Etienne Cathedral
Notre Dame stands on the Ile de la Cité in the heart of the Seine. It wasn't the first church to be built there, as the island had long been a political and religious center due to its strategic position at the crossroads of trade and commerce.
The Romans regarded it as a sacred site, constructing a Temple of Jupiter where the cathedral now rises. In 1710, the remains of its sculpted altar were unearthed beneath the choir. When the Christian Empire took over, they replaced pagan relics with Christian buildings. According to legend, Emperor Charlemagne dreamed of an angel who instructed him to erect a church on this island.
A church dedicated to St. Etienne (Stephen) was constructed on Ile de la Cité in the 4th century, later being transformed and expanded into a cathedral. Archaeologists have identified the square in front of Notre Dame as its original location, having uncovered its column capitals and mosaics. A fragment of St. Etienne was integrated into Notre Dame, now known as the Portal of St. Anne.
In the 12th century, the Bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully, inspired by the groundbreaking Gothic Basilica of St. Denis, decided to create his own. His envisioned cathedral, intended to overshadow St. Etienne, would be grander and architecturally more audacious. The first stone for Notre Dame was laid in 1165, though Sully did not live to see its completion. He passed away in 1196, 150 years before the cathedral was fully finished.
8. Sacred Geometry
Scholars of semiotics (the study of signs) argue that sacred meaning can be found within the measurements and architectural features of Notre Dame, which later became a blueprint for Gothic cathedrals. These symbols convey theological messages and motifs, with the entire structure symbolizing a divine narrative or resembling a hymn to God.
The number seven, representing divine perfection, is a recurring motif throughout the cathedral. The nave is divided into seven bays, both horizontally and vertically, with seven flying buttresses supporting each side. The total number of bays is 153, symbolizing the number of fish caught by the apostles and representing the entire Church. The main level is 30 cubits high, echoing Noah’s Ark, symbolizing a sanctuary for the people of God. The unity of Christ with the 12 apostles and the 12 tribes of Israel is reflected in the 12 small chapels at the apse’s end, along with a central main chapel.
The Vesica Piscis, meaning 'fish bladder,' is a geometric design formed by the intersection of two circles, creating the shape of a fish. This symbol represents the union of God and humanity in Christ. Embodying both the pi and Golden Ratio, the Vesica Piscis, along with two pentagrams, defines the critical intersection points in the cathedral’s floor plan.
The towering verticality of Gothic cathedrals is designed to lift the gaze toward the heavens. The nave’s height is divided into three equal parts, symbolizing the Trinity. On the church’s facade, the highest points of the two portals beside the main entrance align with the center of the Rose Window, forming a pyramid shape, the angle of which closely resembles that of the Great Pyramid of Cheops. This effect—a pyramid with the Rose Window, representing the all-seeing eye of God, at its peak—evokes the belief that the Great Pyramid unified heaven and earth.
Notre Dame was conceived as a 'hymn to God'—a 'musical composition in stone'—evidenced by the eight columns supporting the nave on either side. The number eight corresponds to the eight notes in the tonal scale. Wherever one looks, inside or out, the cathedral’s stones compose the lyrics to this silent hymn.
7. Iron Staples
Soaring to an awe-inspiring 105 feet (32 meters), Notre Dame stood as the tallest structure of its era, surpassing even the Great Pyramid. Its thin walls appear to defy gravity as they support the vaulted ceiling. The mystery of how this delicate structure remained intact remained unsolved—until the tragic fire of 2019 revealed the secret: Notre Dame was held together with iron staples.
The fire revealed the iron staples that held the stones of Notre Dame together. This cathedral was the first Gothic structure to extensively incorporate iron as a building material. Thousands of iron staples, ranging from 8 to 20 inches (20 to 50 centimeters) long and weighing 3 to 9 pounds (1.3 to 4 kilograms) each, were used. Previously, builders relied on wooden tie rods stretched between arches for support. Iron, being more durable and discreet, made Notre Dame’s towering height seem miraculous and greatly enhanced its structural integrity.
While the Greeks and Romans used iron staples to secure large stones on lower levels, the builders of Notre Dame were the first to implement iron systematically and dynamically across the entire structure. This innovative use of an 'iron skeleton' set a precedent that would be followed by other monumental Gothic cathedrals, such as those in Beauvais, Chartres, and Bourges.
6. The Devil’s Doors
The sheer complexity of the ironwork on Notre Dame’s main doors continues to astound experts. Given the limited tools medieval metalsmiths had at their disposal, it is nothing short of remarkable that such a masterpiece was created. If these doors still leave us in awe today, one can only imagine the shock and amazement they inspired among Parisians in the 1300s.
The doors were the crowning achievement of a young metalworker named Biscornet. Driven to prove his skill, he labored tirelessly at his furnaces, shaping the intricate, swirling designs that seemed fit for Paradise itself. After months of dedication, his work was finally installed on the main doors, and the people marveled at what appeared to be a divine creation, wrought by human hands.
Rumors spread that Biscornet had made a deal with the Devil to complete his masterpiece and claim the glory. His name, translating to 'two-horned' (bis = two + cornet = horn), had unsettling demonic associations. Some claimed to have found Biscornet unconscious in his workshop, with the work miraculously finished in record time, the iron swirls eerily resembling the number 666. The priests of Notre Dame declared that the doors would not open until they had been consecrated with holy water.
Biscornet passed away shortly afterward, possibly due to the stress or exhaustion caused by his work and the relentless accusations. For the people of Paris, his death only seemed to confirm their suspicions. The Devil had come to claim Biscornet’s soul as part of the pact. Despite the sinister rumors surrounding the doors, the church decided to preserve the ironwork, and today, visitors can still marvel at the masterpiece that may have cost the young artist his life.
5. The Philosopher’s Stone
In 1923, a mysterious book titled Le Mystère des Cathedrales (The Mystery of the Cathedrals) emerged in Paris, sparking excitement in occult circles. The author, known only as 'Fulcanelli,' asserted that the secrets of alchemy were openly revealed on the walls of Notre Dame. Modern art historians largely agree that Notre Dame functions as an alchemical text, carved in stone.
The roof of the North Tower features an image of an alchemist, not Jesus, Mary, or any saint, but an alchemist wearing a Phrygian 'wizard hat,' marking him as an initiate of Hermeticism. The cathedral’s main door, the Portal of the Last Judgment, is said to guard the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone—the legendary substance capable of turning base metals into gold and granting eternal life. On the portal’s central column, a woman is depicted holding a ladder with nine rungs, the 'scala philosophorum,' symbolizing the nine steps of alchemical labor.
Bas-reliefs on Notre Dame’s walls illustrate various stages of the alchemical process. One such relief depicts a man holding a shield adorned with the caduceus, the staff associated with Hermes, the messenger of the gods, and a symbol of the element Mercury in alchemy. In the hands of Hermes, the caduceus was said to possess the power to revive the dead—aligning with the ultimate goal of alchemy’s pursuit.
Among the 12 apostles sculpted above the archway, one points toward an angel, who in turn directs her finger toward the Left Bank of the Seine. Could this point to the location of the Philosopher’s Stone? An eagle in the central portal, symbolizing the power to transmute base metals into gold, also points in the same direction. The exact meaning of these symbols remains unknown, but their placement at the entrance suggests that the builders considered alchemy to be of profound significance.
4. The Ghosts on the Roof
As expected from any ancient structure, Notre Dame is steeped in ghostly tales. Among these are the stories of a phantom bellringer who haunts the cathedral on Christmas, seven decapitated men searching for their heads on a stormy night, and the restless spirit of Biscornet, forever tied to his cursed doors.
The most frequently reported apparitions are two mysterious women seen moving among the stone gargoyles on the roof. According to the tale, in October of 1882, a young woman requested access to the tower, but the guard refused, as she was unaccompanied, a requirement for women at the time. Disheartened, the woman turned away and soon encountered an elderly lady who was also touring the church.
The young girl struck up a conversation with the elderly woman, and as the morning unfolded, the two became fast friends. After enjoying breakfast together, they returned to Notre Dame. With her newfound companion, the girl asked to visit the tower once more. This time, their request was granted, and they explored the upper parapets until the weather turned and rain began to fall.
The elderly woman took refuge in the bellringer’s room while the girl remained outside. Shortly after, a horrifying scream echoed through the air. It appeared that the girl had thrown herself from the tower, plummeting to the spiked railings below, where she was gruesomely impaled and nearly severed in two.
The identity of the girl has never been discovered. The only clue left behind was a handkerchief she carried, monogrammed with the initials “M.J.” The elderly woman, too, disappeared without a trace—vanishing from sight, though her ghost, along with that of M.J., seems to have decided to continue their eternal rooftop tour.
3. The Heroes of Hotel Dieu
In 1871, a year after Napoleon III’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the fall of the Second French Empire, Paris was consumed by a rebellion led by the anti-monarchist and anti-Catholic Communards. The Paris Commune despised the conservative faction in government, fearing that they would restore the monarchy.
From March to May, Paris was engulfed in chaos. Barricades, cannon fire, arson, and massacres were commonplace. The revolutionaries had already killed the Archbishop and destroyed the Tuileries Palace, the Palais d'Orsay, the Richelieu library at the Louvre, and countless other landmarks, leaving vast swathes of the city in ruins. It was in this tense atmosphere that M. Hanot, the house surgeon at Hotel Dieu hospital, located next to Notre Dame, heard a commotion outside while on duty at 3 a.m. on May 24.
Upon investigating, Hanot saw barrels being rolled through a nearby barricade and directed toward the space between the hospital and the cathedral. Hanot suspected something nefarious was afoot. Notre Dame had already narrowly escaped fire twice, including one attempt involving petroleum shells launched from the Palace Bastille. Were the revolutionaries finally planning to destroy the cathedral for good?
Fearing for the safety of both the cathedral and the hospital, Hanot immediately summoned the hospital director. By 11 a.m., smoke was already visible rising from one of Notre Dame's windows. Hanot rallied six other surgeons, along with several women and children who had gathered outside. They attempted to enter the cathedral but were pushed back by thick smoke. A firefighter offered to help, allowing the doctors to proceed inside.
Inside the cathedral, burning braziers were found near the choir and high altar, with chairs, pews, and other flammable materials piled high, even reaching the grand organ. The responders quickly extinguished the flames, and by nightfall, the area had been secured by government troops. Notre Dame had been saved for the third time by the courageous doctors of Hotel Dieu.
2. Signed, Viollet le Duc
During the French Revolution, both the monarchy and the influential Catholic Church became targets of widespread hostility. Notre Dame, as a prominent symbol of Catholicism, was a prime target for destruction by angry mobs. The church suffered significant damage and was briefly repurposed as a warehouse. It later transformed into a Temple of Reason for the state's Supreme Being cult, which sought to replace Catholicism.
By the early 19th century, Notre Dame had fallen into severe neglect and disrepair, leading some to propose its demolition. However, author Victor Hugo, an admirer of Gothic architecture, aimed to shift public attention back to the cathedral and protect its heritage. In his 1831 novel, *The Hunchback of Notre Dame*, Hugo made the building itself the central character, endowing it with consciousness as it silently witnessed the story of Quasimodo and Esmeralda. The novel ignited public awareness of the cathedral’s cultural importance.
In 1844, Parisian officials appointed the young architect Eugene Viollet le Duc to oversee the restoration of Notre Dame. Viollet le Duc not only repaired the cathedral but also added his own touches, such as the 56 grotesque chimeras near the tower and the 750-ton spire, which was later destroyed in the 2019 fire. In a unique signature, he sculpted a statue of the apostle Thomas on the roof and made a self-portrait in the restored head on the Gallery of Kings.
The restoration of Notre Dame concluded in 1864, securing the cathedral’s future. However, its struggles were far from over, as another attempt to destroy it loomed on the horizon.
1. The Headless Statues
Above the main doors of the West Facade, a horizontal band stretches across the front of the church, adorned with 28 figures of the kings of Judah, known as the Gallery of Kings. During the Revolution, eager mobs, bent on destroying symbols of royalty, mistakenly believed these figures depicted French kings. In their frenzy, they severed the heads of the sculptures and carried them off, likely tossing them into the Seine.
However, instead of being discarded, the heads were carelessly piled on a nearby street and left to be forgotten for three years. Eventually, a wealthy lawyer took the heads and used them as part of the foundations for a mansion he was constructing. Buried once more, the heads remained forgotten for 181 years, until 1977 when workers expanding the basement of the French Bank of Foreign Trade uncovered 21 of them. By fortunate chance, the bank's president, Francois Giscard d’Estaing, a cousin of the French President and an archaeology enthusiast, immediately saw their historical significance.
Upon consulting experts, d’Estaing's suspicions were confirmed: these were indeed the lost heads of the kings of Judah. Further examination uncovered an additional surprise—traces of polychromy, suggesting that the statues, and perhaps the entire Notre Dame, had once been painted.
The original colors of Notre Dame would have been subtle, intended to complement the regularity of the masonry. The choice of colors would have varied depending on the type of stone used, as was typical in Gothic cathedrals. For example, Chartres used yellow on light limestone, while in Strasbourg, red ochre was applied to red sandstone. Given that we are so accustomed to seeing Notre Dame in its current monochrome state, the thought of it once being brightly painted is almost mind-boggling.
As for the heads, they were eventually transported to the Cluny Museum, located not far from Notre Dame, where they can be viewed by the public today.
