Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris

Notre Dame Cathedral is an impressive marvel of medieval architecture. Started in 1163 and completed in 1330, Notre Dame Cathedral has a striking gothic exterior, two broad towers, and plenty of sweeping arches. The gothic exterior is full of intricate details and the ornate interior is light and airy.
To appreciate the features of Notre Dame Cathedral, approach from the park behind the cathedral, Square Jean XXIII, for an impressive view of the structure, and a look at the flying buttress that makes the immense roof possible. From the front, arches sweep above the three entryways, featuring stone carvings of royal persona. The Portal of the Virgin is on the left, the Portal of Last Judgment is in the center, and the Portal of St. Anne is on the right. Inside Notre Dame Paris a 7800-pipe organ and a magnificent rose window from the 13th century, as well as carvings, statues, and saints. The spacious interior holds 6,000 worshippers. Climb the towers and see stone gargoyles, as well as a spectacular view of Paris. The south tower holds the great bell of Notre Dame, as tolled by Victor Hugo's fictional hunchback. Nearby, Point Zero is the bronze star in the plaza from which all French metropolitan distances are measured, and for more history, visit the Musee de Notre Dame for paintings, engravings, and documents on the cathedral.