1. The origin of a famous expression
At the beginning of the 1160s, Bishop Maurice de Sully decided to build a larger, more modern, new sanctuary, and in 1163, Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris. Maurice de Sully, who died in 1196 never saw his project finish due to an enormous construction period.
According to history, Parisians grew weary of the wait and just wanted the project to end. And so the famous French expression, "I will not wait 107 years", came about.
It should be noted that the construction of Notre-Dame was completed in 1345, 182 years after the beginning of the work.
2. More than one church sat in its place
Before the construction of Notre-Dame was another Cathedral, that of Saint-Etienne of Paris, which itself was destroyed to make room for a larger and majestic building.
After excavations, archaeologists have speculated that between two and four other religious buildings were on the site of Notre-Dame. It is a place filled with history already well before the construction of the Cathedral that we know now.
3. 'Point Zero' of France's roads
On the forecourt of the Cathedral Notre-Dame is the 'point zero' of the roads of France.
It serves as a landmark when calculating distances to other French cities. It is therefore the kilometric point zero of the roads starting from the capital.
It was in 1769 and that this place was decided by Louis XV. In 1786, the first marker appeared. It was only in 1924, after 12 years of debate in the Paris City Council, that the current wind rose was raised there too.
Notre Dame's 'point zero', where distances to other French cities from Paris start Source: Wikipedia
4. Saved thanks to Victor Hugo
In the nineteenth century already, Notre-Dame de Paris could have disappeared all together if not for the words of a famous writer.
During the French Revolution, revolutionaries who saw the Cathedral as a symbol of state power penetrated it and did not hesitate to break furniture, paintings and destroy the galleries of kings.
The Cathedral was so damaged, that many pondered writing it off altogether. There French writer Victor Hugo published in 1831 a novel that would change those minds: The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Without doubt it is still today a majestic and sublime edifice that the church of Notre-Dame de Paris" - Victor Hugo
The novel argued for the reconstruction of what remained of the building. Readers who fell under the charm started in 1843 the restoration of Notre-Dame under the eye of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus, two architects of the time.
5. The spire was under construction
To see Notre Dame's spire collapse, devoured by flames, was possibly the most painful moment of this week's fire for many.
Indeed, the iconic spire that measured 93 meters high and was already under renovation.
Rebuilt by Viollet-le-Duc in the nineteenth century, in April 2018, work had begun to reseal the spire, which had been damaged by pollution.
The overall renovation work was estimated to cost 60 million euros including 11 million for the spire.
The spire engulfed in flames collapses as the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral burns. Source: Getty Images
In 2013, nine new giant bells had been built for the cathedral. One of the ten bells of Notre-Dame, Emmanuel the bourdon dates from 1686 and was classified a historical monument in 1944.
