Notre Dame Cathedral

One of the most outstanding creation of Gothic architecture, Notre Dame is situated in the heart of Paris. The Cathedral is over eight hundred years old. The construction began in 1163 and it took nearly two hundred years to build the entire structure. The Cathedral is still used as a Roman Catholic cathedral and is the seat of the Archbishop of Paris. The main entrance to the Cathedral is through the West front which has some of the most notable features, its two 69-meter (228-feet) tall towers will take you by surprise. There are three portals on the west front that depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary (Portal to the Virgin), Christ enthroned judging the living and dead (Portal of the Last Judgment), and scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary's mother (Portal to Saint Anne).The doors of the Cathedral are very large and opened for mass only on Sundays. While you are here don't forget to climb the narrow spiral stairs in the South Tower that will lead you to the wooden bell tower.

The Notre-Dame Cathedral, on the ‘le de la CitÈ, an island in the Seine River that is the original birthplace of Paris. To reach the Cathedral, one has to cross the River Seine on a little stone bridge called the Pont Neuf. This bridge is five hundred years old and is the oldest one in Paris.