HYDERABAD : My early teen years were spent in different parts of the world as I would read novels (more than my textbooks) with stories set across the globe and my imagination would run riot dreaming of destinations that I could never dream of reaching.
Reading “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” by Victor Hugo was one such experience where I would have a tough time imagining the Gothic cathedral in the heart of Paris, the hunchback Quasimodo and the pretty Esmeralda (protagonist), apart from Captain Phoebus (antagonist) and Pierre Gringoire etc.: in the absence of Google it was like being in an abyss of ignorance. Or maybe it was a blessing in disguise as I could use my imagination creatively. But the setting – Notre Dame Cathedral had a certain irresistible charm around which the story revolved mostly. To me, the images of the Gothic structure, darkened with age and antiquity would add a dark attraction to the gloomy parts of the novel.
Until I visited Notre Dame for the first time in 2005, these images stayed in my mind, despite being exposed to the photographs in print and on the Internet as technology evolved. When I set my eyes on Notre Dame that late afternoon in August, the edifice was swathed in golden sunrays. It was like reaching a familiar, warm place filled with love: I was drenched in a sense of déja vu. Again when I visited along with my husband in 2008, it was the same déja vu all over again!!
The most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, Notre Dame is distinguished for its size, antiquity, and architectural interest.Victor Hugo wrote his masterpiece Notre-Dame de Paris and the detailed descriptions in the novel were aimed to make his contemporaries realise the value of the Gothic architecture, which was neglected and often demolished to be replaced by new buildings in newer styles (for instance, the medieval stained glass panels of the cathedral were replaced by white glass to let more light into the church). Over a period of time, Notre-Dame underwent a number of renovations some of which were inspired by Victor Hugo’s book.
Built on the ruins of two earlier churches that predated by a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter, the foundation stone for Notre Dame was laid by Pope Alexander III in 1163, and the high altar was consecrated in 1189. The choir, the western facade, and the nave were completed by 1250, and porches, chapels, and other embellishments were added over the next 100 years. Its central spire was added during restoration in the 19th century, replacing the original, which had been completely removed in the 18th century because of instability.
The interior of the cathedral is 427 by 157 feet, and the roof is 115 feet high. Two massive early Gothic towers (223 feet) crown the western facade, which is divided into three stories and has its doors adorned with fine early Gothic carvings and surmounted by a row of figures of Old Testament kings.
At the cathedral’s east end, the apse has large clerestory windows and is supported by single-arch flying buttresses of the Rayonnant Gothic style, especially notable for their boldness and grace. The cathedral’s three great rose windows alone retain their 13th-century glass.
Notre-Dame Cathedral suffered damage and deterioration over the centuries. After being damaged during the French Revolution, it was rescued from possible destruction by Napoleon.
When the church was sold at an auction to a building-materials merchant, Napoleon came to power in time to annul the sale, and he ordered that the edifice be redecorated for his coronation as emperor in 1804. King Louis-Philippe later initiated restoration of the neglected church and it was restored from 1845 to 1864.
By the 21st century, prolonged exposure to the weather and decades of damage from acid rain had damaged much of the cathedral’s exterior stonework, and the French government spends millions of euros annually on restoration and maintenance. Approximately 12 million people visit Notre-Dame year round, making it the most visited monument in Paris.
Recently, on the unfortunate evening of April 15, 2019, while the magnificent Notre Dame is undergoing yet another restoration process, a devastating fire broke out in the cathedral’s attic, and the massive blaze destroyed most of the roof, Viollet-le-Duc’s 19th-century spire, and some of the rib vaulting. The iconic steeple too collapsed, breaking many a heart of heritage lovers: I watched the videos with my heart bleeding.
But Notre Dame is much above material damage: like a Phoenix, it will rise from its ashes and will be reborn again. Then I will make my third trip to Paris to touch and feel the most loved cathedral. The bells would ring again, this time even louder and merrier … and somewhere from up there, the deaf Quasimodo would smile and nod in approval.
(The author is a documentary filmmaker and travel writer; she blogs at
vijayaprataptravelandbeyond.com)