What was the Notre-Dame used for?

It started as a temple to Jupiter before being transformed into a Romanesque church. Ultimately, the old structure was taken down and its foundation (along with a few of its sculptures) was reused in the construction of Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Why was Notre-Dame created?

Notre Dame Cathedral was commissioned by King Louis VII who wanted it to be a symbol of Paris’s political, economic, intellectual and cultural power at home and abroad. The city had emerged as the centre of power in France and needed a religious monument to match its new status.

Where is the original Notre-Dame?

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Notre-Dame lies at the eastern end of the Île de la Cité and was built on the ruins of two earlier churches, which were themselves predated by a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter.

What lies under Notre-Dame?

PARIS, March 15 (Reuters) – Archaeologists have found an ancient lead sarcophagus under Notre-Dame cathedral along with fragments of a rood screen, offering a new insight into the history of the building which is currently under reconstruction after a devastating fire in 2019.

Why is Notre Dame called Notre Dame?

A man of lively imagination, Father Sorin named his fledgling school in honor of Our Lady in his native tongue, “L’Université de Notre Dame du Lac” (The University of Our Lady of the Lake).

What was before Notre Dame?

Before Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was even built The original name for Paris was Lutetia or Lutetium and was first evangelised in the 3rd century when the Pope sent the first bishop to Paris in around the year 250, where he became Saint Denis, the Patron Saint of the city.

Are there two Notre Dame cathedrals?

The most impressive Gothic church in eastern France is in Strasbourg, where its venerable cathedral – another “Notre-Dame” – is a true jaw-dropper. This Gothic spectacle somehow survived the French Revolution, the Franco-Prussian War, and both World Wars.

What was destroyed in Notre Dame?

Most of the wood/metal roof and the spire of the cathedral was destroyed, with about one third of the roof remaining. The remnants of the roof and spire fell atop the stone vault underneath, which forms the ceiling of the cathedral’s interior.