ThegreatcathedraloftheMiddleAgesinParisontheIledelaCit6bytheSeineistheworldrenownedNotre--DamedePads.Thischurchwasinitiallybuiltin1163onlyasasimplechancel，andtheotherpartswerebuiltoneafteranotherinthefollowingyears.Itwasnotuntil1345thatthecathedralwasentirelycompleted.Ittookmorethan150years.ThisGothicstonebuildingisnotonlytallandlofty，butalsoelegantandgraceful.Alltheportals，windows，wallsandpiersaredecoratedwithexquisitesculptures，reliefsandpaintingsofreligiousstories.Theimmor—talworkNotre——DamedePariswrittenbytheFrenchliterarygiantVictorHugoissetinthiscathedral.andthearchitecturalartofthechurchisviv·idlydescribedindetailinthebook.However，whenthisnovelwaspub—lishedin1831，theancientbuilding，havinggonethroughmanyWarfires，wasseriouslydamagedanddevastated.Itwasthankstothepublicationofthefamousnovel，whichwongreatrenowninliterarycircles，thattheca’
thedralwasrenovatedandrestoredbetween1844and1864.Thecathedralisdividedhorizontallyintothreeareasandthefacadeonthelowestlevelisseparatedintothreeportalsbytwopilasters.AbovetheportalsistheGalleryofKings，thatisalonglineof28carvedstand—ingstatuesofFrenchkingsinvariousdynastiesincludingPhilip11，ThePortaloftheVirginontheleftiscarvedwiththeVirginandChild，andtheDeath.GlorificationandAssumptionoftheVirgin.ThePortalofSt.betV~fentwoangelsandstatuesofBishopandKingLouisXU.TheCentralPortalportrayingtheLast，JudgmentisshownthestatuesofChristandtheapostles，theHeavenlyCourt，ParadiseandHell，andpanelswithper—sonificationofVicesandVirtues.OnthesecondlevelofthefacadearetwomullionedwindowswithstatuesofAdamandEveflankingarosewindowmeasuring10metersindiameterwithstatuesoftheVirginandChildwithangels.Abovethatlevelisagalleryofarcheslinking69.—me—ter—hightwintowersatthesides.Visitorsmaywalkupa387一stone—steppedspiralstairwayinthenorthemtowertothetopforapanoramicviewofthecityofParis，whilethehugebellof13tonsinweight，wherethebreathtakingstoryofHugo’Sbooktookplace，iskeptinthesoutherntower.Theuttermostzoneisfumishedwithgargoyles，grotesquefigureswiths~angeandfantasticformsprojectingfrompinnacles，spiresandex—tensionofthewalls.Andaspireof106metersinheightsoarsintotheskyfromthecentreofthecathedral.Theinteriorofthecathedralisquitespaciousandbright.Thedimen—sionsofthehallare130metersinlength，50metersinwidthand35me—tersinheight.Itcanaccommodatenolessthan9，000persons.Thecele—bratedstatueofNotre—DamedeParis（OurLadyofParis）isonthepiertotherightasoneenters.TheHalliSdividedintonaveandfouraislesbygiganticcylindricalpiers，andadoubleambulatoryjoinsatran—sept.Splendidstained——glasswindowsonbothendsofthetranseptaresetseparatelywithstatuesoftheVirginandChildandofChristintheactofblessing.Belowtherosewindowisalargeorganof18thcenturyhavingcharacterisedbyitssonorousandresoundingtimbre.Thepipeorgancon—certheldfreeonceaweekalwaysattractslotsofmusiclovers。ThenumerousstonecarvingsandpaintingswithvariousposturesintheNotre—Dameareexcellentincraftsmanship.Theyfullydisplaytheartists’talentsandskillsandexhibitthecreativepowerofhumanbeings.ThisbrilliantflowerinarchitecturalfieldisSOwonderfulthatthegreatwriterVictorHugooncepraiseditas“AStoneSymphony”。