Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris Photos and Info - John Brody Photography

Notre Dame Cathedral at Dusk - JohnBrody.com / John Brody Photography


Notre Dame Cathedral - Proceeded by a Gallo-Roman temple to Jupiter, a Christian basilica, and a Romanesque church, construction of Notre-Dame de Paris began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII. Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone. The idea to replace the Romanesque church occupying the site - the Cathedral of St. Etienne (founded by Childebert in 528) - was that of Bishop Maurice de Sully (who died in 1196). (Some accounts claim that there were two churches existing on the site, one to the Virgin Mary, the other to St. Stephen.) Construction was completed roughly 200 years later in about 1345.

The choir was completed in 1182; the nave in 1208, and the west front and towers circa 1225-1250. A series of chapels were added to the nave during the period 1235-50, and during 1296-1330 to the apse (Pierre de Chelles and Jean Ravy). The transept crossings were build in 1250-67 by Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil (also the architect of the Sainte-Chapelle). It was essentially completed according to the original plans. The reigns of Louis XIV (end of the 17th century) and Louis XV saw significant alterations including the destruction of tombs, and stained glass. At the end of the 18th century, during the Revolution, many of the treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or plundered. Only the great bells avoided being melted down. The church interior was used as a warehouse for the storage of forage and food.

After falling into disrepair, a restoration program overseen by Lassus (died 1857) and Viollet-le-Duc, was carried out in 1845. This program lasted 23 years, and included the construction of the spire and the sacristy.

During the Commune of 1871, the Cathedral was nearly burned by the Communards - and some accounts suggest that indeed a huge mound of chairs was set on fire in its interior. Whatever happened, the Notre Dame survived the Commune essentially unscathed."



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Pere Lachaise Cemetery - Paris Photos and Info - John Brody Photography

These photos and history profiles of some my favorite highlights from Paris are being added here by request - by demand actually... Some playfully nasty letters from some Paris lovers have been hitting my inbox because they're not too happy that I shut down a web site that used to contain some of this travel info and pictures. So here you go you cranky Francophiles, Enjoy yourselves! ;)


Pere Lachaise Cemetery - A Brief History

In the early days Pere Lachaise was a poor district, with many outlaws, winding streets, shady avenues. It's located on a old hill of Champ l'Eveque where a rich merchant built his house in 1430.

In the 17th century the Jesuits, converted it into a hospice for members of their order. It became a meeting place under influence of Pere Lachaise Louis XIV's confessor. In 1803, under Napoleon, the Prefect of Paris bought it to build a cemetery. It was an incredibly successful piece of land speculation. Nicolas Frochot, the urban planner who bought the land, persuaded the civil authorities to rebury Molière, La Fontaine, Abelard and Heloise in his new cemetery. Pere-Lachaise became the ultimate symbol for the rich and successful.

Ironically, Frochot even sold a plot to the original owner for considerably more money than the price he had paid for the entire site. Even today, the rates are still extremely high. Some of the most celebrated dead have unremarkable tombs while those whose fame died with them or who were nonentities to start with have the most expressive monuments.

A winding stone pathway through the cemetery above and the grave of chopin at left. As with all pictures here click to go to full sized photo album.

- John Brody Photography