It was in the year 1163 that the first stone of Notre-Dame de Paris was laid. It was Pope Alexander III who decided on its construction at the time, which would have lasted 107 years. It is even from there that the popular expression “to wait 107 years” would have been born, according to the legend.
In this program of “Minute Papillon”, Sidonie Bonnec goes back in time to discover the evolution of the architecture of the famous cathedral which has evolved a lot over time. To keep Notre-Dame up to date, many modifications have been made, such as the rose windows.
Notre-Dame de Paris is also a political place. The first estates general took place there on April 10, 1302, organized by King Philippe le Bel. A king was also crowned in this place, it is Henry VI of England. As for Napoleon Premier, he also chose the place for his coronation in 1806.
Architectural historian, specialist in cathedrals and Notre-Dame de Paris, Mathieu Lours tells us the story of this emblematic place in the French capital and also discusses the secrets of its restoration linked to the fire that ravaged it in 2019.