Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre Dame de Paris), description, photo! Notre Dame de Paris French version actors

Monumental and majestic Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris rises on the Ile de la Cité in the center of Paris. His amazing story full of terrible, bloody, daring and epic events.

He was an eyewitness to revolutions and wars, destruction and reconstruction, immortalized in art, continuing to amaze with his strict and rich gothic architecture woven into the cast unity of the Romanesque style.

Book a visit to the Cathedral roof

There will be a temple! - the king decided

Louis VII reigned in 1163. Initially, he intended to become a monk, but by the will of fate he was forced to accept the throne when his older brother Philip, the main heir, died after falling from a horse. Having become king, Louis remained faithful to the church all his life, and it was under him that the construction of Notre-Dame de Paris began, and Pope Alexander III had the honor of laying the cornerstone.

This majestic temple occupied an area where higher powers destined to build God's houses. According to archaeological research, four churches stood here in different eras.

The very first, in the 4th century, was the early Christian church that illuminated the earth, followed by the Merovingian basilica, then the Carolingian cathedral, then the Romanesque cathedral, which was later completely destroyed, and the stones were used on the foundation of the current sanctuary.

The walls were raised in 1177, and the main altar was erected and illuminated in 1182. This event marked the completion of the arrangement of the eastern part of the transept. From that moment on, it was already possible to conduct worship services in the building, although painstaking work still had to last for decades. In 1186, the first grave appeared on the territory - that of Duke Geoffrey of Brittany, and in 1190 - that of Queen Isabella de Hainault.

The nave was nearing completion, and in 1200 construction began on the west façade, now easily recognizable by the two distinctive towers at the main entrance. There was not enough space for the grandiose structure, and in 1208 several nearby houses had to be demolished.

The southern bell tower became operational in 1240, and the northern tower 10 years later. This is considered to be the completion of the first stage of construction of the famous cathedral.

Century-long finishing works

By 1257, first the northern and then the southern facades for the transept (a cross-shaped cornice on the plan) were built. In the same year, a spire was erected on the lead roof, which was destroyed in 1789 during revolutionary unrest, and now in its place is a copy installed during the restoration of 1840 by Engen Viollet-de-Duc.

The side chapels continued to be built until the 14th century, but the final touch was the completion of the enclosure around the liturgical choir with luxurious reclining chairs in which the canons were seated. Minor work continued for some time, but Notre Dame Cathedral was formally completed in 1351, and remained untouched until the 18th century.

Events and persons in history

Over the course of two centuries, many architects worked on the architectural ensemble, but the most famous were the names of Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil. Jean began work in 1258, and his brainchild is the facades adjacent to the nave and the gates on the south and north sides, as indicated by a plaque on the southern side facade.

After the death of Jean, Pierre came to replace him in 1265, a famous person from the time of “radiant Gothic”, who was called the doctor of stone affairs.

Periodically, the interior was changed, supplemented or restored.

In the years 1708 – 1725, the designer and architect of the early Rococo times, Robert de Cote, changed appearance space in front of the main altar - the cathedral choir. In 1711, he removed from under the throne the elements of the column of the Shipmen's Pillar, which had once been installed by a ship corporation from Lutetia. A new main altar and sculptures were installed in this place.

On the brink of death

Then the French Revolution made its own adjustments. Robespierre, as one of its most influential participants, put forward a demand to pay ransoms to the Convention for all future revolutions if the city does not want “the stronghold of obscurantism to be demolished.”

However, this did not influence the decision of the Convention in 1793, which decided that “all emblems of all kingdoms should be wiped out from the face of the earth.” At the same time, Robespierre took considerable pleasure in giving orders to behead the monarchs lined up in the gallery representing the kings of the Old Testament.

The revolutionaries did not spare the rest of the architecture, destroying stained glass windows and looting expensive utensils. At first the parish was declared the Temple of Reason, later the center of the Cult of the Supreme Being, until the premises were given over to a food warehouse, and then they completely lost interest in it, leaving it in the grip of oblivion.

Don't be surprised to see the statues of kings safe and sound - in the middle XIX century the ensemble was restored. When restoration work was carried out in 1977, part of the kings was discovered in a burial place under a private house. Its owner at one time bought the sculptures, as if for the foundation, buried them himself with honors, and then built a house over them, hiding the graves of the overthrown government.

Revival of former greatness

Before early XIX centuries, Notre Dame gradually fell into decay. The majestic cathedral was decrepit, crumbling, turning into ruins, and the authorities were already thinking about its demolition.

In 1802, Napoleon returned the building to the church, which hastened to reconsecrate it. But in order to awaken in Parisians the desire to save the temple, to awaken a love for their history and architecture, a push was needed. It was Victor Hugo’s novel “Notre Dame de Paris,” where love passions unfold on the pages, published in 1831.

Thanks to the architect-restorer Viollet-de-Duc, the temple not only received a new life, but acquired a fresh face.

First of all, he took care of repairing serious damage to stop further devastation. Then he set about restoring the destroyed statues, sculptural compositions, I didn’t forget about the spire, which was also demolished during the revolution.

The new needle is 96 m long, made of oak and lined with lead. At the base it is surrounded on four sides by the figures of the apostles, and in front of them are winged tetramorphs: the bull is the symbol of Luke, the lion is Mark, the angel is Matthew, the eagle is John. It is noteworthy that all the statues turned their gaze to Paris, and only St. Thomas, the patron saint of architects, half turned around and examined the spire.

All the work took 23 years, which indicates the catastrophic condition of the temple before the restoration began.

Viollet also proposed demolishing the buildings that at that time were located in close proximity to the cathedral, and now in their place in front of the facade there is a modern square.

Since then, the building has remained in relatively constant condition, only occasionally undergoing forced cosmetic work. It was not even damaged during the last wars. At the end of the twentieth century, it was decided to carry out major work to refresh it and restore the original golden hue of the sandstone façade.

And strange animals were born

The idea of ​​planting chimeras at the foot of the towers was a very successful one. They have become not only an exotic decoration, but also a disguise for the drainage pipe system, which prevents moisture from accumulating on the roof, causing mold to appear and gradually undermining the masonry.

Here you can distinguish animals, dragons, gargoyles, demons, other fantastic creatures and people. All the gargoyles carefully peer into the distance, turning their heads to the west, waiting for the sun to hide behind the horizon, the time of the children of the night will come, and then they will come to life.

In the meantime, the animals froze in an expectant pose with an expression of impatience on their faces, like inexorable guardians of morality in search of manifestations of sin. These otherworldly inhabitants of Notre-Dame de Paris give the famous temple a special charisma. If you want to look them in the eyes, they will take you up in a lift for a fee.

Exterior decoration of the cathedral

Being nearby, you want to look at it in all its details, never tired of being amazed at the skill of the architects who managed to achieve an amazing result in the harmony of images and completeness of forms.

The main entrance has three pointed gates, illustrated with displays from the Gospel. The central one tells the story of the Last Judgment with the main judge - Jesus Christ. On the sides of the arch there are seven statues lined up, below are the dead who have risen from their tombs, awakened by the forges of angels.

Among the awakened dead you can see women, warriors, one pope and a king. Such a motley company makes it clear that all of us, regardless of status, will appear before the highest justice and will be equally responsible for our earthly deeds.

The right entrance is decorated with a statue of the Blessed Virgin and Child, while the left is given to the Virgin Mary and includes images of the symbols of the zodiac, as well as a scene when a crown is placed on the head of the Virgin Mary.

Immediately above the three portals are 28 crowned statues - the very kings who were overthrown from their pedestals during the revolution, and which Viollet de Duc later restored.

Above, a large western compass rose bloomed. She is the only one that has retained partial authenticity. It contains two circles with stained-glass petals (the small one has 12 petals, the large one has 24), enclosed in a square, which symbolizes the unity of divine infinity and the material world of people.

The cathedral rose was first decorated with stained glass windows in 1230, and they tell about the eternal struggle between vices and virtue. It also includes zodiac symbols and scenes of peasants at work, and in the center is the figure of the Mother of God and Child.
In addition to the central rose, with a diameter of 9.5 m, the other two, 13 m each, decorate the facades on the south and north, considered the largest in Europe.

Taking a closer look at the towers at the main entrance, you will notice that the northern one, which is closer to the Seine, looks more massive than its southern neighbor. This is because it was the only place where bells rang until the 15th century. If the main alarm sounds on rare occasions, then the others announce the time at 8 and 19 hours.

Each bell has its own personality, differing own name, tonality and weight. “Angelique Françoise” is a heavy lady, weighing 1765 kg and with a C-sharp voice. Less textured, but also inspiring respect is “Antoinette Charlotte” at 1158 kg, sounding in D sharp. Behind her comes “Hyacinth Jeanne,” who weighs only 813 kg and sings with the note F. And finally, the smallest bell is “Denis David”, which weighs no more than 670 kg and chimes like an F-sharp.

Inside the sanctum sanctorum

You can talk about the luxurious interior decoration of the temple for hours, but it is much more pleasant to plunge into this splendor in person. While anticipating sightseeing, take a look at the Notre Dame Cathedral in the photo and feel its solemn atmosphere.

It is impossible not to mention the impression when the hall is bathed in the daytime rays of the sun, refracted through numerous stained glass windows, making the lighting look futuristic, magical, unearthly and mysterious, playing with multi-colored reflections.

There are a total of 110 windows in the cathedral, all covered in stained glass with a biblical theme. True, not many survived, since merciless time and people destroyed most of them in different time, and in their place copies were installed back in mid-19th century centuries.

However, some glass panels managed to survive to this day. They are unique in that, due to the imperfection of glass manufacturing technology of that time, they look more massive, uneven, and contain random inclusions and balls of air. But the previous masters were able to turn even these flaws into advantages, making the paintings in these places sparkle and play with tints of light and color.

Inside the temple, the wind roses look even more amazing, and even mysterious, thanks to the light penetrating through their stained glass windows. The lower part of the central flower is covered by an impressively sized organ, but the side ones are visible in all their splendor.

The organ has always been present at Notre Dame, but for the first time in 1402 it became truly large. At first they did it simply - the old instrument was placed in a newer Gothic shell. To maintain the sound and appearance at the proper level, it has been tuned and rebuilt many times throughout history. Didn't ignore him and modern civilization– in 1992, the copper cable was replaced with optical cable, and the control principle was made computerized.

You will spend more than one hour in the temple, paying attention to paintings, sculptures, bas-reliefs, ornaments, stained glass windows, chandeliers, columns. Not a single detail can be ignored, because each one is an integral part of a unique ensemble, part of biblical and secular history.

Photo gallery of stained glass windows of Notre Dame de Paris

1 of 12

Time seems to flow differently inside. It’s like you’re going through a time loop and plunging into a completely different reality. Sit down on a bench, let yourself be amazed by the unique, luxurious interior, and then close your eyes and absorb the solemn sounds of the organ and enjoy the aroma of candles.

But you will feel the edge of centuries especially vividly when you leave the walls of the cathedral, and you will not be able to resist the temptation to return to the peaceful atmosphere.

You should also go down to the treasury, which stores unique items and is located under the square in front of the cathedral. Of particular pride is the sacred artifact - the crown of thorns of the Savior, which in 1239 was given to the temple by the monarch Louis IX, having bought it from the Byzantine emperor.

A bright mark in life and culture

For many centuries, Notre Dame Cathedral has inspired, united and gathered people under its arches different eras. Knights came here to pray before the Crusade; here they crowned, crowned and buried kings; members of the first parliament of France gathered within its walls; Here they celebrated the victory over the fascist troops.

For the preservation and resurrection of such a beautiful architectural monument, we must thank, among other things, Victor Hugo, because with his great work he was able to reach the Parisians. Today this majestic structure inspires contemporary writers, filmmakers and authors computer games to its own variations of events, with treacherous enemies and brave heroes, revealing age-old secrets and riddles.

Notre Dame Cathedral on the map

Bruno Pelletier plays the role of Gringoire in the musical Notre Dame de Paris

IN original version the musical toured Belgium, France, Canada and Sweden. The same musical debuted at the French Mogador Theater in 2000, but with some changes. The Italian, Russian, Spanish and some other versions of the musical followed these changes.

That same year, a shortened American version of the musical opened in Las Vegas and an English version in London. IN English version almost all the roles were performed by the same artists as in the original.
Plot

The gypsy Esmeralda has been under the tutelage of the gypsy king Clopin since the death of her mother. After a band of tramps and gypsies try to sneak into Paris and take refuge in Notre Dame Cathedral, they are chased away by royal soldiers. The captain of the riflemen, Phoebus de Chateaupert, becomes interested in Esmeralda. But he is already engaged to fourteen-year-old Fleur-de-Lys.

At the festival of jesters, the hunchbacked, crooked and lame bell-ringer of the Cathedral, Quasimodo, comes to look at Esmeralda, with whom he is in love. Because of his ugliness, he is elected King of the Jesters. His stepfather and mentor, Archdeacon of Notre Dame Cathedral Frollo, runs up to him. He tears off his crown and orders him not to even look in Esmeralda’s direction and accuses her of witchcraft. He shares with Quasimodo his plan to kidnap Esmeralda, with whom he is secretly in love. He wants to lock her in the Cathedral tower.

At night, the poet Gringoire wanders after Esmeralda and witnesses an attempt to kidnap her. But Phoebus’s detachment was guarding nearby, and he was protecting the gypsy. Frollo manages to escape unnoticed; no one assumes that he also participated in this. Quasimodo is arrested. Phoebus makes a date with Esmeralda at the Valley of Love tavern. Frollo hears all this.

Gringoire finds himself in the Court of Miracles - the abode of vagabonds, thieves, criminals and other similar people. Clopin decides to hang him because he, not being a criminal, went there. He was to be hanged on the condition that none of the girls living there wanted to marry him. Esmeralda agrees to save him. He promised to make her his muse, but Esmeralda is preoccupied with thoughts of Phoebe.

For attempting to kidnap Esmeralda, Quasimodo was sentenced to be thrown on the wheel. Frollo watches this. When Quasimodo asks for a drink, Esmeralda gives him water. In gratitude, Quasimodo allows her to enter the Cathedral whenever she wants.

Frollo pursues Phoebus and enters the “Valley of Love” with him. Seeing Esmeralda in the same bed with Phoebus, he hits him with Esmeralda's dagger, which she carried with her all the time, and runs away, leaving Phoebus to die. Esmeralda is accused of this crime. Phoebus is cured and returns to Fleur-de-Lys.

Frollo tries and tortures Esmeralda. He accuses her of witchcraft, prostitution and an attempt on Phoebus. Esmeralda declares that she is not involved in this. She is sentenced to death by hanging.

An hour before the execution, Frollo descends into the dungeon of La Sante prison, where Esmeralda is imprisoned. He sets a condition: he will let Esmeralda go if she makes love to him. Esmeralda refuses. Frollo tries to rape her.

Clopin and Quasimodo enter the dungeon. Clopin stuns the priest and frees his stepdaughter. Esmeralda is hiding in Notre Dame Cathedral. Residents of the "Court of Miracles" come there to pick up Esmeralda. The royal soldiers under the command of Phoebus engage them in battle. Clopin is killed. The tramps have been driven out. Frollo gives Esmeralda to Phoebus and the executioner. Quasimodo looks for Esmeralda and finds Frollo instead. He confesses to him that he gave Esmeralda to the executioner because she refused him. Quasimodo kills Frollo and dies himself with Esmeralda's body in his arms.

History of creation

Work on the musical began in 1993, when Plamondon compiled a rough libretto for 30 songs and showed it to Cocciante, with whom he had previously worked and had previously written, among other things, the song “Lamour existe encore” for Celine Dion. The composer already had several melodies ready, which he proposed for the musical. Subsequently, they became hits "Belle", "Danse mon Esmeralda" and "Le temps des cathГ©drales". The most famous song The musical "Belle" was written first.

8 months before the premiere, a concept album was released - a disc with studio recordings of 16 main songs of the production. All songs were performed by the artists of the musical, with the exception of Esmeralda's parts: Noa sang them in the studio, and Helen Segara sang them in the musical. Canadian pop stars were invited to the production: Daniel Lavoie, Bruno Pelletier, Luc Merville, but main role Quasimodo was given away little-known Pierre Garana, although the composer initially wrote the parts of Quasimodo for himself. This role made Pierre famous, who took the pseudonym Garou.

The Russian version of the musical premiered in Moscow on May 21, 2002. The producers of the production were Katerina von Gechmen-Waldeck, Alexander Weinstein and Vladimir Tartakovsky. In 2008, the Korean version of the musical premiered.

Actors

Original composition
Noah, then Helen Segara Esmeralda
Daniel Lavoie Frollo
Bruno Pelletier Gringoire
Garou Quasimodo
Patrick Fiori Phoebus de Chateaupert
Luc Merville Clopin
Julie Zenatti Fleur-de-Lys

[edit]
London version
Tina Arena, Dannii Minogue Esmeralda
Daniel Lavoie Frollo
Bruno Pelletier Gringoire
Garou, Ian Pirie Quasimodo
Steve Balsamo Phoebe de Chateaupert
Luc Merville, Carl Abram Ellis Clopin
Natasha Saint-Pierre Fleur-de-Lys

Mogador
Nadya Bel, Shirel, Maison, Anne Esmeralda
Adrien Deville, Jerome Collet Quasimodo
Michel Pascal, Jerome Collet Frollo
Lauren Ban, Cyril Niccolas Gringoire
Lauren Ban, Richard Charest Phoebus de Chateaupert
Veronica Antico, Anne Maison, Claire Cappelli Fleur-de-Lys
Roddy Julien, Eddie Soroman Clopin

Russia
Svetlana Svetikova, Teona Dolnikova, Diana Savelyeva, Karina Hovsepyan Esmeralda
Vyacheslav Petkun, Valery Yaremenko, Timur Vedernikov, Andrey Belyavsky, Pyotr Markin Quasimodo
Alexander Marakulin, Alexander Golubev, Igor Balalaev, Victor Krivonos (participated only in studio recordings and rehearsals; did not perform at any concert) Frollo
Vladimir Dybsky, Alexander Postolenko, Pavel Kotov (participated only in studio recordings and rehearsals; did not perform at any concert), Andrey Alexandrin Gringoire
Anton Makarsky, Eduard Shulzhevsky, Alexey Sekirin, Maxim Novikov, Mohamed Abdel Fattah Phoebus de Chateaupert
Anastasia Stotskaya, Ekaterina Maslovskaya, Yulia Liseeva, Anna Pingina, Anna Nevskaya, Anna Guchenkova, Natalya Gromushkina, Anastasia Chevazhevskaya Fleur-de-lis
Sergey Li, Victor Burko, Victor Esin Clopin

Italy
Lola Ponche, Rosalia Misseri, Ilaria Andreini, Leila Martinucci, Chiara di Bari Esmeralda
Gio di Tonno, Luca Maggiore, Fabrizio Voghera, Giordano Gambogi Quasimodo
Vittorio Matteucci, Fabrizio Voghera, Luca Velletri, Cristian Gravina Frollo
Matteo Setti (Italian), Roberto Synagoga, Aaron Borelli, Mattia Inverni, Gianluca Perdicaro Gringoire
Graziano Galatone, Alberto Mangia Vinci, Aaron Borelli Phoebus de Chateaupert
Marco Guerzoni, Aurelio Fierro, Christian Mini Clopin
Claudia DOttavi, Ilaria de Angelis, Chiara di Bari Fleur-de-Lys

Spain
Thais Siurana Esmeralda
Albert Martinez Quasimodo
Enrique Sequero Frollo
Daniel Angles Gringoire
Lisadro Phoebus de Chateaupert
Paco Arroyo Clopin
Elvira Prado Fleur-de-lis

The songs in this section will be written according to the following model:

Original title/Mogadorian title (interlinear translation of title) official name in Russian

Note: in all versions of the musical, except the original, the songs of the second act are numbers 8 and 9; 10 and 11 were swapped.

Act one
Ouverture (Opening) Overture
Le Temps Des CathГ©drales (Time of Councils) Time of Cathedrals
Les Sans-Papiers (Undocumented People) Vagrants
Intervention de Frollo (Frollo's Intervention) Frollo's Intervention
BohГ©mienne (Gypsy) Daughter of the Gypsies
Esmeralda Tu Sais (Do you know, Esmeralda) Esmeralda, understand
Ces Diamants-LГ (These diamonds) My love
La Fête des Fous (Feast of the Jesters) Ball of the Jesters
Le Pape des Fous (The Pope of the Jesters) The King of the Jesters
La SorciГЁre (The Witch) The Sorceress
LEnfant TrouvГ© (Foundling) Foundling
Les Portes de Paris (Gates of Paris) Paris
Tentative dEnlГЁvement (Attempted Kidnapping) Failed kidnapping
La Cour des Miracles (Court of Miracles) Court of Miracles
Le Mot Phoebus (The Word "Phoebus") Name Phoebus
Beau Comme Le Soleil (Beautiful like the sun) Sun of Life
DГ©chirГ© (Torn) What should I do?
Anarkia Anarchy
ГЂ Boire (Drink) Water!
Belle (Beauty) Belle
Ma Maison CEst Ta Maison (My House Your House) My Notre Dame
Ave Maria PaГЇen (Ave Maria in pagan) Ave Maria
Je Sens Ma Vie Qui Bascule/Si tu pouvais voir en moi (I feel like my life is going downhill/If only you could look into me) If only she could see
Tu Vas Me DГ©truire (You will destroy me) You are my ruin
LOmbre (Shadow) Shadow
Le Val dAmour (Valley of Love) Shelter of Love
La VoluptГ© (Pleasure) Date
FatalitГ© (Rock) Will of Fate

Act two
Florence (Florence) Everything will have its time
Les Cloches (The Bells) The Bells
OG No. Est-Elle? (Where is she?) Where is she?
Les Oiseaux QuOn Met En Cage (Birds Locked in a Cage) Poor Birds in Captivity
CondamnГ©s (Condemned) Rejected
Le ProcГЁs (The Court) The Court
La Torture (Torture) Torture
Phoebus (Phoebus) O Phoebus!
ГЉtre PrГЄtre Et Aimer Une Femme (To be a priest and love a woman) My fault
La Monture (The Horse) (the word also has an allegorical meaning: “passionate lover”) Swear to me
Je Reviens Vers Toi (I return to you) If you can, forgive
Visite de Frollo Г Esmeralda (Frollo's visit to Esmeralda) Frollo comes to Esmeralda
Un Matin Tu Dansais (One morning you danced) Confession of Frollo
LibГ©rГ©s (Free) Come out!
Lune Moon
Je Te Laisse Un Sifflet (I give you a whistle) If anything, call
Dieu Que Le Monde Est Injuste (God, how unfair the world is) Good God, why?
Vivre (Live) Live
LAttaque De Notre-Dame (Assault on Notre-Dame) Assault on Notre-Dame
DГ©portГ©s (Sent) Send!
Mon MaГ®tre Mon Sauveur (My master, my savior) My proud master
Donnez-La Moi (Give it to me) Give it to me!
Danse Mon Esmeralda (Dance, my Esmeralda) Sing to me, Esmeralda
Le Temps Des CathГ©drales (Time of the Cathedrals) Time of the Cathedrals

Interesting Facts
Famous song from this musical Belle was also performed in our country by the now disbanded group Smash!!. With her they took first place at the festival " New wave» 2002 in Jurmala.
The song “Belle” spent 33 weeks in the French charts at number 1 and was eventually recognized in France as the best song of the fiftieth anniversary.
Russian performer the role of Esmeralda T. Dolnikova the only performer of a musical in the world who received a high award, the Golden Mask theater award.
In Russia, a special touring version of the musical, with simplified scenery, is currently touring the regions. Artistic director Alexander Marakulin, performer of the role of Frollo.

Temples have been located in this place since time immemorial; even in the era of the Romans, there was a temple dedicated to Jupiter. Later, the Merovingians, who ruled Gaul in 500-571, built the Cathedral of St. Etienne here.

Notre Dame Cathedral was founded in 1163 by Maurice de Sully, Bishop of Paris, and the cornerstone was laid by the Pope Alexander III. Its construction lasted until 1345, that is, it took almost two centuries. During this time, the project was led by dozens of architects, which did not stop them from erecting a beautiful and organic ensemble. According to historical data, several other churches, both Christian and pagan, previously existed on the same site.

The construction of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris took place with the participation of many architects, but its main creators, who made the greatest contribution, are considered to be Pierre de Montreuil and Jean de Chelles. The building was founded during the reign of Louis VII. It was then that the Gothic style in architecture became popular, which was used by architects. This direction was successfully mixed with the Romanesque style from the traditions of Normandy, which gave the cathedral a unique look.

The history of France and Notre Dame cannot be separated, because it was here that the knights offered their prayers when going on the Crusades, the coronation of Napoleon, the celebration of the victory over Hitler’s troops and many other events took place.

Notre Dame Cathedral suffered greatly from inept reconstructions during the events of the late 18th century, and later due to popular neglect. So, French revolution almost deprived the world of this unique architectural monument; they even wanted to burn it. Many sculptures were broken or beheaded, stained glass windows were destroyed, and precious utensils were looted. The building was declared the Temple of Reason, then the center of the Cult of the Supreme Being, and later simply turned into a food warehouse. From complete destruction architectural ensemble saved Victor Hugo’s novel “Notre Dame de Paris,” which occupied a central place in the story of the hunchback’s love for a beautiful gypsy. The publication of the work not only made the writer famous, but also drew the attention of the general public to the exceptional historical as well as aesthetic value of the ancient building.

It was decided to reconstruct Notre Dame according to all the rules of ancient technologies. Viollet-le-Duc successfully coped with such a difficult task, since the architect had knowledge of the construction methods of the ancient masters who worked on the construction of the temple. The restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral lasted more than a quarter of a century. During this time, the facades and interior decoration were restored, the sculpture gallery and part of the gargoyles, destroyed by the revolutionaries, were reconstructed, and all the surviving infernal “guards” were returned to their rightful place.

Additionally, a spire more than 95 meters high was built and installed on the roof. In subsequent years, Parisians treated their shrine with extreme reverence. It is noteworthy that the temple was practically not damaged during the period of two World Wars. At the end of the 20th century, another restoration was initiated, which made it possible to completely clean the building from city dust and return the sandstone from which the façade is made to its original golden hue.

Video: Consequences of a fire in the cathedral

Facade and gargoyles

The most popular attribute of the external decoration of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris remains stone demonic creatures. Gargoyles are present here in large numbers and are intended not only for decoration, but also to drain water from the numerous drains on the roof. The fact is that the unusually complex structure of the roof contributes to the accumulation of moisture due to precipitation, since it cannot drain as freely as from ordinary houses. This can lead to the development of mold, dampness and destruction of the stone, so high-quality gutters are a must for any Gothic cathedral.

Traditionally, unattractive pipe exits were disguised with figures of gargoyles, chimeras, dragons, and, less commonly, people or real animals. Many see hidden meanings in these demonic images, so there is a lot of scope for imagination here. It is noteworthy that at the time of construction there were no stone demons on the cathedral; they were installed at the suggestion of the restorer Viollet-le-Duc, who used this medieval tradition.

Main facade decorated with stone statues and has three portals. The main one is in the middle, its arches support seven statues on each side, and the main decor is relief scenes Last Judgment. The right portal is dedicated to Saint Anne, where the Blessed Virgin and Child are depicted, and the left one is dedicated to the Mother of God, with the signs of the zodiac and the image of the coronation of the Virgin Mary. The huge doors are decorated with forged relief images.

The already mentioned spire on the roof replaced the one that was dismantled at the end of the 18th century. The design is decorated with four groups of apostles, as well as animals corresponding to the evangelists. All the statues face the French capital, with the exception of the patron saint of architects, St. Thomas, who seems to be admiring the spire.

Almost all the stained glass windows are quite modern, made during the restoration of the temple in the 19th century. Only in the central compass rose are some medieval parts preserved. The pattern of this large-scale structure (9.5 meters in diameter) made of colored glass depicts Mary, as well as rural works, the signs of the Zodiac, human virtues and sins. The northern and southern facades are equipped with the largest roses that exist in Europe. Each of them is about 13 meters in diameter.

Interior of Notre Dame Cathedral

The design in longitudinal section is a cross, in the center of which there is a complex of sculptural images of various gospel scenes. Interestingly, there are no internal supporting walls here; their function is performed by multifaceted columns. A large number of artistic carving is filled with unearthly light, which is colored in different colors, passing through the glass of several roses. On the right side of Notre Dame, tourists can admire the wonderful sculptures, paintings and other works of art that are traditionally presented to Our Lady every year on the first of May. The majestic central chandelier was made according to sketches by Viollet-le-Duc; after reconstruction, it replaced the chandelier, melted down during the French Revolution.

Between the portal and the higher tier is the Gallery of the Kings, where sculptures of Old Testament rulers are exhibited. The revolutionaries ruthlessly destroyed the original statues, so they were made anew. At the end of the 20th century, fragments of individual sculptures were found under one of the Parisian houses. It turned out that the owner bought them in Time of Troubles, to be buried with honors, and later built his home on this site.

It is impossible not to mention the majestic organ installed in Notre Dame Cathedral. It was equipped during the construction of the temple, and was rebuilt and reconstructed many times. Today, this organ is the largest in France in terms of the number of registers and the second in the number of pipes, some of which have survived since the Middle Ages.

South bell tower

If you want to enjoy Parisian panoramas that are not inferior in beauty to the view from the Eiffel Tower, you should definitely climb the South Tower of Notre Dame Cathedral. A spiral staircase of 387 steps leads here, climbing which you will see the main bell of the cathedral, Emmanuel, and you will also be able to see the gargoyles in close proximity. It is believed that they look so carefully to the west because they wait for sunset, after which they come to life every night.

Museum and treasury

There is a museum in the cathedral, where every visitor can learn about the history of the temple in detail, listen to many famous and little-known stories associated with this place. Various exhibits that directly relate to the centuries-old life of Notre Dame are stored here.

From the shrine you can go to the underground Treasury, located under the square in front of the cathedral. It contains historical and religious relics: utensils, precious art objects, and so on. But the most important exhibits are the Crown of Thorns of Christ, one of the nails with which Jesus was crucified, and a fragment of that same cross.

Procedure and cost of visiting

To get inside Notre Dame Cathedral, you will have to wait in a long line. According to statistics, every day, depending on the time of year, from 30 to 50 thousand people cross the threshold of Notre Dame. Entrance to the cathedral itself is free, but to climb the bell tower each adult will have to pay 15 euros. Those under 26 years of age can enter for free. The cost of visiting the Treasury is 4 euros for adults, 2 € for young people 12-26 years old, 1 € for visitors 6-12 years old. Children under 6 years old can enter free of charge. In addition, on all Fridays of Lent, as well as on the first days of each month, treasures are brought out for public viewing free of charge. Such exhibitions usually begin around three o'clock in the afternoon.

Each visitor has the opportunity to use an audio guide in English, German, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese or Japanese. The cost of this service is 5 euros.

How to get there

The full address of the shrine is: 6 place du Parvis Notre-Dame, Ile de la Cit, 75004 Paris. The Chalete, Isle de la Cité and Hotel de Ville metro stations are a five-minute walk away. In addition, you can use bus routes No. 21, 38, 47 or 85. On weekdays, Notre Dame Cathedral is open from 8.00 to 18.45, on Saturdays and Sundays from 7.00 to 15.00. Every Saturday services are held here at 5.45 and also at 18.15.

Great writer. The action begins with the story of tramps who arrive in Paris and try to get to Notre Dame Cathedral. They are stopped and driven away by a regiment of royal riflemen led by Captain Phoebus. The captain, engaged to the young Fleur de Lys, sets his sights on one of the gypsies, Esmeralda. She is under the protection gypsy baron because she was left without parents.

Esmeralda is no stranger to male attention. The bell ringer of Notre Dame, a hunchback named Quasimodo, is also in love with her, who tries with all his might to please the gypsy. The priest Frollo is also not indifferent to the beauty, but his love borders on hatred. He accuses Esmeralda of witchcraft and persuades Quasimodo to kidnap the girl. The plans are thwarted by Captain Phoebus, Frollo goes into hiding, and Quasimodo is arrested by the royal guards and sentenced to travel on the wheel, but he manages to escape, not without the help of Esmeralda.

Meanwhile, the gypsy falls in love with Phoebus: she agrees to go on a date and spends the night with him. The priest, who found out about this, bursts into their bedroom and wounds the captain with Esmeralda’s dagger, and he himself disappears again. Now the girl is accused of being a royal shooter, a mortal awaits her. The judge is the two-faced Frollo: after Esmeralda refuses to become his mistress, he orders her to be hanged. And Captain Phoebus, having recovered, returns to his bride.

Only in 1163, already under Louis VII, one of the leaders of the Second Crusade, when a special Gothic style took shape, did they begin to build the cathedral. Bishop Maurice de Sully supervised all construction work. He sought to create an unusual temple that could accommodate a whole

Musical "Notre Dame de Paris"

What does the musical “Notre Dame de Paris” mean to you? This most popular work Few people remained indifferent; it has an extraordinary mesmerizing power. What is his secret? Maybe it's all about the spectacular production, extraordinary story about love and betrayal, told by the brilliant Hugo? Or is it all about the amazing music, which intertwines French chanson and gypsy motifs? Just imagine, because this work contains 50 songs dedicated to the brightest and most strong feeling– love, and almost all of them became real hits.

Summary of the musical "Notre Dame de Paris" and many interesting facts Read about this work on our page.

Summary

At the center of this sad story is the young beauty Esmeralda, who was raised by the gypsy king Clopin, who replaced her father and mother. Their camp attempts to illegally enter Paris to find refuge in the Cathedral, but the soldiers notice the uninvited guests and immediately drive them away. The handsome Phoebus da Chateaupert, who is the captain of the royal riflemen, pays attention to the young Esmeralda. Captivated by the beauty of the girl, he completely forgets about his bride Fleur-de-Lys, to whom he is engaged.

The captain is not the only one who paid attention to the young dancer. Tender feelings Quasimodo also has a fondness for her, who specially comes to the festival of jesters to admire his beloved once again. His stepfather and strict mentor Frollo forbids him to even think about this girl or look at her, but does this out of strong jealousy. It turns out that the archdeacon is also in love with Esmeralda, but he does not have the right to this.

Frollo hatches an insidious plan - to kidnap the gypsy and lock her in the tower, and he tries to kidnap the girl along with Quasimodo under the cover of darkness, but the gypsy is saved in time by Phoebus. Taking advantage of the moment, the captain immediately invites the beauty on a date.

An involuntary witness to the kidnapping, as well as the brave act of the captain, is the poet Gringoire, whom the gypsy king Cloper wants to hang for violating the rules of the camp, because he visited the Court of Miracles, and this is strictly prohibited. But Esmeralda saves Gringoire and now must marry him. But the gypsy is already in love with someone else, with her savior, Phoebus de Chateaupert.

The Archdeacon watches Esmeralda and the captain closely as they go on a date, and, blinded by jealousy, attacks his rival. As a result, Frollo wounds Phoebus with a knife. But it’s Esmeralda who has to pay for this crime, because it is she who is accused of the attempt on the captain’s life. At the trial, the gypsy tries to prove that she is innocent, but Esmeralda is not listened to and is sentenced to death.

While the girl is in prison awaiting sentencing, Frollo visits her. The Archdeacon offers to save the beauty in exchange for her devotion and love, but she refuses him. Hearing this, Frollo attacks Esmeralda, but the girl is saved by Clopin and Quasimodo, who arrive in time. The whole camp came to help the captive, and a battle ensued between the gypsies and the royal soldiers. As a result of this collision, Clopin dies, and Esmeralda is arrested again, and Frollo himself hands her over to the executioner. In despair, he shares this with Quasimodo, admitting that he did all this because of the beauty’s refusal, and he angrily throws the treacherous Frollo from the tower, and he rushes to the place of execution to last time to embrace the already dead Esmeralda in his arms.

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Interesting Facts

• A record number of applicants came to the casting held for the Russian version of the musical - about one and a half thousand, and only 45 of them were accepted into the troupe.
• About 4.5 million dollars were spent to stage the Russian version, and 15 million were collected during the entire run of the show in the Moscow theater.
• By 2016 total Spectators who watched the performance around the world amounted to more than 15 million people.
• It is worth noting that the author of the famous “Notre Dame” also wrote a musical on a rather unusual Russian theme. He called this work “The Decembrists”; the libretto was developed by the poet Ilya Reznik.
• Currently, a shortened version of the musical by Alexander Marakulin is touring our country. The troupe's artists even became involved in a criminal case for copyright infringement.
• A parody of the play was staged in Nizhny Novgorod with almost identical scenery.
• The French production of the musical was not without some blunders. Thus, it was noticed that there was anarchy written on the wall, although a different word was originally intended - ananke, which means rock. Already in the new Mogadorian version of the play this word was corrected to the correct one.

Popular numbers:

Belle (listen)

Dechire (listen)

Vivre (listen)

Le temps des cathédrales (listen)

History of creation

Surprisingly, this musical became popular even before its premiere due to the fact that a disc was released with recordings of some singles (16 songs). The presented compositions created an unprecedented sensation and quickly began to win the hearts of the public. The premiere, which took place on September 16, 1998 in Paris at the Palais des Congrès, took place with resounding success. The part of the main character was performed by Noah (recorded), and then Helen Segara, the role of Quasimodo went to Pierre Garan (Garou) , Phoebe - Patrick Fiori, Gringoire - Bruno Peltier, Frollo - Dariel Lavoie. The director was the Frenchman Gilles Maillot, who at that time was known to the general public for his productions. In general, the performance turned out to be a little unusual, because it differed from the established format of musicals by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Claude-Michel Schonberg: minimalist stage design, modern ballet choreography, unusual format.

Songs from the musical immediately began to top various charts, and the most popular of them, “Belle,” became a real worldwide hit. After its success in France, the musical went on its triumphal march to other countries of the world.

In 2000, the composer created the second edition of the musical, and this version was already presented at the Mogador Theater. It was this option that was used for Russian, Spanish, Italian, Korean and other versions.

The Russian premiere was successfully held on May 21, 2002 at the Moscow Operetta Theater. The production was directed by director Wayne Fawkes, invited from the UK. When they first started working on the score, Yuliy Kim, who was responsible for translating the libretto, admitted that it was quite difficult to do. Moreover, not only professional poets were involved in such a painstaking process. That is why the author of the translation of the composition “Belle” was Susanna Tsiryuk, she also owns the lyrics to the songs “Live”, “Sing to me, Esmeralda”. But the translation of the single “My Love” was done by schoolgirl Daria Golubotskaya. It is worth noting that in our country the performance was also promoted according to the European model: about a month before the premiere, the song “Belle” was launched on the radio station performed by Vyacheslav Petkun (Quasimodo), which immediately became popular. Elements western style are also present in the choreography.

In 2011, it was decided to organize an international troupe, which included artists from different countries, who went on a world tour. Each time she was greeted by an enthusiastic audience and thunderous applause. Until now, this musical has been successfully performed on various stages around the world. Since its inception, it has been shown in 15 different countries and translated into seven languages.