In the 19th-century, the cathedral was in ruins.
A campaign led by the famous French writer Victor Hugo succeeded in launching a massive restoration project, directed by the celebrated architect Viollet-le-Duc, aimed to restore the cathedral to its medieval splendor.
Most of the choir dates back to the 18th century.
However, parts of the original medieval choir still remain, including the intricately carved wooden panels.
These panels are regarded as masterpieces of medieval art.
In the 18th century, after 23 years of marriage, Louis XIII had still not produced an heir.
Desperate, he prayed to the Virgin Mary, promising to place France under her protection if she granted him a son.
The queen, Anne of Austria, eventually gave birth to a son, who would become Louis XIV.
Although Louis XIII died before he could fulfill his promise, his son, Louis XIV, later remodelled the choir.
The sculptures in the choir depict Louis XIII, Louis XIV and the Virgin Mary, holding the body of Jesus.
Fun fact: during the construction of the choir, workers uncovered a mysterious stone pillar dedicated to the Roman emperor Tiberius, blending Roman and Gallic references.
This pillar was a gift from a guild of naval merchants in the 1st century AD.
It's now considered the oldest monument in Paris!
That concludes our tour of Notre Dame. We hope you enjoyed it!
To continue your exploration, why not dive into the History of Paris?
Curious to learn more?
Follow up with the A.I :
.png)
.jpg)