Notre Dame | Kingdom of France, 1163-1260
On the western side of Europe, the Kingdom of France—now known simply as France—was quickly developing into one of Europe’s superpowers. In addition to their military prowess, French architecture and engineering advanced rapidly through the Middle Ages, progressing from a Gothic style in the early 12th century to a Renaissance style towards the 16th century.
Left: Sebastien on Unsplash & Right: Denis Doukhan from Pixabay
Notre Dame cathedral in Paris is one of the best examples of early French Gothic Architecture. The building of the cathedral commenced in 1163 and around one century later it was mostly complete. Notre Dame is particularly well-known for its flying buttresses; an innovation of the 13th century, they are used to support the weight of the roof. The cathedral also features gigantic ceilings and multi-coloured stain-glass windows adding to its grandeur.
Excuse me! Are you on Pinterest?! Here are a couple of pins! Right: Daniel James on Unsplash
Gallery
This post is part of an expanded series taken from 37 Wonders of the World in Chronological Order. You can click the link to read more, watch the video or navigate between individual posts beneath the gallery. Enjoy!
Left: Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay & Right: Daniel James on Unsplash
