What is the secret of Parisian cathedrals beauty?
The most romantic city in the world can rightfully be proud of its cultural heritage in the form of historical monuments, museums and magnificent architectural structures. But a trip to Paris cannot be complete without visiting its beautiful cathedrals. All of them are in excellent condition, as over the long years of their existence, they have undergone repeated restoration and restoration work. Experienced travelers book a hotel in France online, compare ratings, rates and study reviews. For example, in Paris, you can book the Le Metropolitan hotel with a view of the Eiffel Tower from 280 euros per day.
These religious places of worship are a testament to the Christian heritage of France, as majestic silent witnesses of the fall of the Roman Empire and the former greatness of the French royal dynasties. Unfortunately, some of the churches were desecrated and destroyed during the revolution in France, now the government is funding architectural centers that are engaged in painstaking work to restore these churches and temples in order to return them to their former beauty and grandeur.
The most popular cathedrals in Paris in terms of attendance among tourists are:
Cathedral of Notre Dame
Anyone who is familiar with the work of the writer Victor Hugo can imagine the magnificent architectural beauty of Notre Dame Cathedral, described in the pages of one of his famous novels. As an example of French Gothic architecture, this cathedral began to be built in the 12th century and only two hundred years later its monumental columns, delicate arches and stunning stained glass windows were open to the eyes of visitors. Notre Dame Cathedral was one of the first to be rebuilt after desecration during the French Revolution and now again amazes thousands of visitors with its grandeur and beauty.
Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral
This magnificent Gothic architectural complex is located a short walk from the Notre Dame Cathedral in the prestigious central Paris area - Ile de la Cité. Created in the 13th century by order of King Louis IX, this cathedral has 6,450 feet of square meters of stained glass windows depicting 1,130 biblical scenes. When the rays of the sun penetrate the openwork windows of the cathedral, the stained-glass windows begin to "live", play with bright colors, the paintings seem to come to life. All the scenes depicted on the stained-glass windows merge at this moment in the eyes of the visitors into a single inseparable plot. All tourists experience the same sense of awe for such beauty and grandeur. In addition to stained-glass windows on the windows, the walls of the cathedral are decorated with ancient frescoes and skillful carvings, all of which are fully worthy of the attention of travelers.
Cathedral Saint-Germain-des-Prés
This cathedral is the oldest religious building in Paris; the construction of the cathedral, according to ancient documents, was started in the 6th century. Initially, the construction of the cathedral was conceived by Father Childebert for a Benedictine abbey. But, after the Christian relic of the True Cross from the Spanish province was transported to the cathedral, this temple became the most important in France for the entire period of the Middle Ages. Even the construction of city blocks developed in the immediate vicinity of this majestic cathedral.
Basilica of Saint-Denis
Tourists often neglect a trip to the suburban area of Paris, which is located 25 kilometers north of the French capital. However, it is here that the oldest church in France is located, built on the territory of the once existing abbey. On the territory of the basilica, 75 burials of the ancient rulers of France were discovered, 42 of which were kings and 32 of them belong to their spouses-queens. The current building of the basilica was built on the site of a destroyed one at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries. The tombs remained in the same place, they were only ornately decorated with decorative carvings and now visitors can admire the beauty of the vaulted ceilings of the church, its stained glass windows and frescoes that adorn the walls, windows and ceiling of the basilica.