105-597: Drouant ( French pronunciation: [dʁuɑ̃] ) is a well-known restaurant located in the Palais Garnier neighborhood in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris , France. It was founded in 1880 by Charles Drouant. The restaurant has been receiving the jury of the Prix Goncourt every year since 1914, as well as the jury of the Prix Renaudot since 1926. Drouant' s cuisine is led by chef Émile Cotte. The establishment
210-416: A putto holding up a medallion bearing the letter ("E") and the imperial crown. One with a trumpet and a palm, the other with a torch and a palm. There were four repetitions of these themes. Two groups have a globe and a lyre on the ground and the two other groups have two scrolls, a mask, and a laurel wreath. Seven low reliefs with medallions surrounded by scrolls with two children on either side holding up
315-581: A North Vietnamese flag at the top the flèche, and sabotaged the stairway leading to it. The flag was cut from the flèche by Paris Fire Brigade Sergeant Raymond Belle in a daring helicopter mission, the first of its kind in France. The Requiem Mass of Charles de Gaulle was held in Notre-Dame on 12 November 1970. The next year, on 26 June 1971, Philippe Petit walked across a tight-rope strung between Notre-Dame's two bell towers entertaining spectators. After
420-512: A car containing seven gasoline canisters was found near Notre-Dame . On 10 February 2017, French police arrested four persons in Montpellier already known by authorities to have ties to radical Islamist organizations on charges of plotting to travel to Paris and attack the cathedral. Later that year, on 6 June, visitors were shut inside Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris after a man with a hammer attacked
525-399: A gabled portal to the north transept topped by a spectacular rose window. Shortly afterward (from 1258) Pierre de Montreuil executed a similar scheme on the southern transept. Both these transept portals were richly embellished with sculpture; the south portal depicts scenes from the lives of Saint Stephen and of various local saints, while the north portal featured the infancy of Christ and
630-467: A garland of flowers and fruits. Five are in the central part of the attic storey having the letter ("N") in the medallion and alternate the high reliefs and the other two at the east and west of the avant-corps. The letters "N" and "E" in the medallions are the imperial monogram (Napoléon Empereur). At the west pediment a sculpture of two women sitting down representing Architecture and Industry by Jean Claude Petit . The women surround an escutcheon with
735-467: A large team of sculptors, glass makers and other craftsmen, and working from drawings or engravings, Viollet-le-Duc remade or added decorations if he felt they were in the spirit of the original style. One of the latter items was a taller and more ornate flèche , to replace the original 13th-century flèche, which had been removed in 1786. The decoration of the restoration included a bronze roof statue of Saint Thomas that resembles Viollet-le-Duc, as well as
840-411: A lively defence in his 1871 book Le Théâtre : "What else could fill the theatre with such joyous life? What else could offer the variety of forms that we have in the pattern of the flames, in these groups and tiers of points of light, these wild hues of gold flecked with bright spots, and these crystalline highlights?" On 20 May 1896, one of the chandelier's counterweights broke free and burst through
945-587: A masterpiece of the first rank". The Palais Garnier also houses the Bibliothèque-Musée de l'Opéra de Paris (Paris Opera Library-Museum), which is managed by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and is included in unaccompanied tours of the Palais Garnier. The Palais Garnier is 56 metres (184 ft) from ground level to the apex of the stage flytower; 32 metres (105 ft) to the top of
1050-453: A multipartite arrangement of so many lateral vaults, above and below? Where, I ask, would they find such light-filled amenities as the many surrounding chapels? Furthermore, let them tell me in what church I may see such a large cross, of which one arm separates the choir from the nave. Finally, I would willingly learn where [there are] two such circles, situated opposite each other in a straight line, which on account of their appearance are given
1155-551: A new and much larger church. He summarily demolished the earlier cathedral and recycled its materials. Sully decided that the new church should be built in the Gothic style , which had been inaugurated at the royal abbey of Saint Denis in the late 1130s. The chronicler Jean de Saint-Victor [ fr ] recorded in the Memorial Historiarum that the construction of Notre-Dame began between 24 March and 25 April 1163 with
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#17328686871141260-613: A new opera house, the Opéra Bastille , opened at the Place de la Bastille . The company now uses the Palais Garnier mainly for ballet . The theatre has been a monument historique of France since 1923. The Palais Garnier has been called "probably the most famous opera house in the world, a symbol of Paris like Notre Dame Cathedral , the Louvre , or the Sacré Coeur Basilica ". This
1365-413: A police officer outside . On 15 April 2019 the cathedral caught fire, destroying the flèche and the "forest" of oak roof beams supporting the lead roof. It was speculated that the fire was linked to ongoing renovation work. The fire broke out in the attic of the cathedral at 18:18, investigators concluded. The smoke detectors immediately signaled the fire to a cathedral employee, who did not summon
1470-479: A rather strange and bestial type, illuminated by the spirit." She would be like the fortune tellers of India "with tamed snakes curled around their forehand." The Avant foyer is twenty meters long with doors leading to an open salon at each end, in the east to the "Sun" and at the west side to the "Moon" salons. At its north it open to the Grand Escalier, while at its south is connected by three monumental doors to
1575-700: A site on the east side of the Place du Palais-Royal as part of an extension of the Rue de Rivoli . However, with the Revolution of 1848 , Rambuteau was dismissed, and interest in the construction of a new opera house waned. The site was later used for the Grand Hôtel du Louvre (designed in part by Charles Rohault de Fleury). With the establishment of the Second Empire in 1852 and Georges-Eugène Haussmann 's appointment as Prefect of
1680-485: A special Mass was held in the cathedral to celebrate the liberation of Paris from the Germans; it was attended by General Charles De Gaulle and General Philippe Leclerc . In 1963, on the initiative of culture minister André Malraux and to mark the 800th anniversary of the cathedral, the façade was cleaned of the centuries of soot and grime, restoring it to its original off-white colour. On 19 January 1969, vandals placed
1785-650: Is accessible to the general public. In 1821 the Opéra de Paris had moved into the temporary building known as the Salle Le Peletier on the rue Le Peletier . Since then a new permanent building had been desired. Charles Rohault de Fleury , who was appointed the opera's official architect in 1846, undertook various studies in suitable sites and designs. By 1847, the Prefect of the Seine , Claude-Philibert de Rambuteau , had selected
1890-456: Is at least partly due to its use as the setting for Gaston Leroux 's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera and, especially, the novel's subsequent adaptations in films and the popular 1986 musical . Another contributing factor is that among the buildings constructed in Paris during the Second Empire , besides being the most expensive, it has been described as the only one that is "unquestionably
1995-449: Is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture . Several attributes set it apart from the earlier Romanesque style , particularly its pioneering use of the rib vault and flying buttress , its enormous and colourful rose windows , and the naturalism and abundance of its sculptural decoration. Notre-Dame is also exceptional for its three pipe organs (one historic) and its immense church bells . Built during
2100-698: Is flanked by two octagonal salons with ceilings painted by Jules-Élie Delaunay in the eastern salon and Félix-Joseph Barrias in the western salon. The octagonal salons open to the north into the Salon de la Lune at the western end of the Avant-Foyer and the Salon du Soleil at its eastern end. There are eight canvases representing the Muses from the Greek mythology. In mythology, the Muses were nine, but because of lack of room, Polyhymnia
2205-811: Is on the south side of the building, overlooking the Place de l'Opéra and terminates the perspective along the Avenue de l'Opéra . Fourteen painters, mosaicists and seventy-three sculptors participated in the creation of its ornamentation. The two gilded figural groups, Charles Gumery 's L'Harmonie (Harmony) and La Poésie (Poetry), crown the apexes of the principal façade's left and right avant-corps . They are both made of gilt copper electrotype. Fifty-three comic and tragic antique masks in gilt cast iron by Jean-Baptiste Klagmann . The attic storey consist of high reliefs by Jacques-Léonard Maillet and low reliefs by Louis Villeminot . Four sets of ornamental figures. Each group consists of two winged women on either side of
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#17328686871142310-585: Is said to have told the Empress Eugenie was "Napoleon III" style The Napoleon III style was highly eclectic, and borrowed from many historical sources; the opera house included elements from the Baroque , the classicism of Palladio , and Renaissance architecture blended together. These were combined with axial symmetry and modern techniques and materials, including the use of an iron framework, which had been pioneered in other Napoleon III buildings, including
2415-844: Is the largest in Europe and can accommodate as many as 450 artists. The canvas house curtain was painted to represent a draped curtain, complete with tassels and braid. The ceiling area which surrounds the chandelier was originally painted by Jules-Eugène Lenepveu . In 1964 a new ceiling painted by Marc Chagall was installed on a removable frame over the original. It depicts scenes from operas by 14 composers – Mussorgsky , Mozart, Wagner , Berlioz , Rameau , Debussy , Ravel , Stravinsky , Tchaikovsky , Adam , Bizet , Verdi , Beethoven , and Gluck . Although praised by some, others feel Chagall's work creates "a false note in Garnier's carefully orchestrated interior". The seven-ton bronze and crystal chandelier
2520-679: The Bibliothèque Nationale and the markets of Les Halles . The façade and the interior followed the Napoleon III style principle of leaving no space without decoration. Garnier used polychromy, or a variety of colors, for theatrical effect, achieved different varieties of marble and stone, porphyry , and gilded bronze. The façade of the Opera used seventeen different kinds of material, arranged in very elaborate multicolored marble friezes, columns, and lavish statuary, many of which portray deities of Greek mythology . The principal façade
2625-572: The Concordat of 1801 , Napoleon Bonaparte restored Notre-Dame to the Catholic Church, though this was only finalized on 18 April 1802. Napoleon also named Paris's new bishop, Jean-Baptiste de Belloy , who restored the cathedral's interior. Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine made quasi-Gothic modifications to Notre-Dame for the coronation of Napoleon as Emperor of the French within
2730-655: The Crown of Thorns , and a sliver and nail from the True Cross . It is believed that before the arrival of Christianity in France , a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter stood on the site of Notre-Dame. Evidence for this includes the Pillar of the Boatmen , discovered beneath the cathedral in 1710. In the 4th or 5th century, a large early Christian church, the Cathedral of Saint Étienne ,
2835-573: The French Republic's presidents took place at the cathedral. The 1831 publication of Victor Hugo 's novel Notre-Dame de Paris (in English: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame ) inspired interest which led to restoration between 1844 and 1864, supervised by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc . On 26 August 1944, the Liberation of Paris from German occupation was celebrated in Notre-Dame with the singing of
2940-477: The Magnificat of 30 May 1980, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass on the parvis of the cathedral. The Requiem Mass of François Mitterrand was held at the cathedral, as with past French heads of state, on 11 January 1996. The stone masonry of the cathedral's exterior had deteriorated in the 19th and 20th century due to increased air pollution in Paris, which accelerated erosion of decorations and discoloured
3045-515: The Magnificat . Beginning in 1963, the cathedral's façade was cleaned of soot and grime. Another cleaning and restoration project was carried out between 1991 and 2000. A fire in April 2019 caused serious damage and forced the cathedral to close for five years; it is planned to reopen on 7-8 December 2024. The cathedral is a widely recognized symbol of the city of Paris and the French nation . In 1805, it
3150-619: The Musée de Cluny . For a time the Goddess of Liberty replaced the Virgin Mary on several altars. The cathedral's great bells escaped being melted down. All of the other large statues on the façade, with the exception of the statue of the Virgin Mary on the portal of the cloister, were destroyed. The cathedral came to be used as a warehouse for the storage of food and other non-religious purposes. With
3255-703: The Paris Commune of March through May 1871, the cathedral and other churches were closed, and some two hundred priests and the Archbishop of Paris were taken as hostages. In May, during the Semaine sanglante of "Bloody Week", as the army recaptured the city, the Communards targeted the cathedral, along with the Tuileries Palace and other landmarks, for destruction; the Communards piled the furniture together in order to burn
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3360-490: The Virgin Mary for the choir. At this same time, Charles de La Fosse painted his Adoration of the Magi , now in the Louvre . Louis Antoine de Noailles , archbishop of Paris , extensively modified the roof of Notre-Dame in 1726, renovating its framing and removing the gargoyles with lead gutters. Noailles also strengthened the buttresses, galleries, terraces, and vaults. In 1756, the cathedral's canons decided that its interior
3465-418: The fire brigade but instead sent a cathedral guard to investigate. The guard was sent to the wrong location, to the attic of the adjoining sacristy, and reported there was no fire. The guard telephoned his supervisor, who did not immediately answer. About 15 minutes later the error was discovered, whereupon the guard's supervisor told him to go to the correct location. The fire brigade was still not notified. By
3570-592: The relics of the passion of Christ , which included the Crown of thorns , a nail from the Cross and a sliver of the Cross, which he had purchased at great expense from the Latin Emperor Baldwin II , in the cathedral during the construction of the Sainte-Chapelle . An under-shirt , believed to have belonged to Louis, was added to the collection of relics at some time after his death. Transepts were added at
3675-459: The 15-metre (49 ft) flying buttresses of the choir. Jean le Bouteiller, Ravy's nephew, succeeded him in 1344 and was himself replaced on his death in 1363 by his deputy, Raymond du Temple. Philip the Fair opened the first Estates General in the cathedral in 1302. An important innovation in the 13th century was the introduction of the flying buttress . Before the buttresses, all of the weight of
3780-584: The 1830s by the Dominican Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire . These sermons have increasingly been given by leading public figures or government-employed academics. Over time, the cathedral has gradually been stripped of many decorations and artworks. However, the cathedral still contains Gothic, Baroque , and 19th-century sculptures, 17th- and early 18th-century altarpieces, and some of the most important relics in Christendom – including
3885-403: The 19th-century restorers. Today, thirteen of the grands mays hang in Notre-Dame although these paintings suffered water damage during the fire of 2019 and were removed for conservation. An altarpiece depicting The Visitation , painted by Jean Jouvenet in 1707, was also located in the cathedral. The canon Antoine de La Porte commissioned for Louis XIV six paintings depicting the life of
3990-471: The April 2019 fire. Notre-Dame began a year-long celebration of the 850th anniversary of the laying of the first building block for the cathedral on 12 December 2012. During that anniversary year, on 21 May 2013, Dominique Venner , a historian and white nationalist, placed a letter on the church altar and shot himself, dying instantly. Around 1,500 visitors were evacuated from the cathedral. French police arrested two people on 8 September 2016 after
4095-531: The Emperor via a double ramp to the building. When the Empire fell, work stopped, leaving unfinished dressed stonework. It now houses the Bibliothèque-Musée de l'Opéra de Paris (Paris Opera Library-Museum) which is home to nearly 600,000 documents including 100,000 books, 1,680 periodicals, 10,000 programs, letters, 100,000 photographs, sketches of costumes and sets, posters and historical administrative records. Located on
4200-563: The Grand Foyer. The Avant Foyer is lit by five big chandeliers designed by Charles Garnier in Byzantine style. There are two Greek mosaic inscription, written in the 8th century Byzantine style letters ( Greek uncial ), which read: "Decorative mosaic was applied for the first time in France to the ornamentation of this vault and the popularisation of this art." (Greek inscription 1) "The figures painted by Curzon, were executed by Salviati,
4305-510: The Plan of the New Opéra . When the paintings were first fixed in place two months before the opening of the building, it was obvious to Garnier that they were too dark for the space. With the help of two of his students, Pils had to rework the canvases while they were in place overhead on the ceiling and, at the age of 61, he fell ill. His students had to finish the work, which was completed the day before
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4410-500: The Seine by ferry. The first phase began with the construction of the choir and its two ambulatories . According to Robert of Torigni , the choir was completed in 1177 and the high altar consecrated on 19 May 1182 by Cardinal Henri de Château-Marçay , the Papal legate in Paris, and Maurice de Sully. The second phase, from 1182 to 1190, concerned the construction of the four sections of
4515-525: The Seine in June 1853, interest in a new opera house revived. There was an attempted assassination of Emperor Napoleon III at the entrance to the Salle Le Peletier on 14 January 1858. The Salle Le Peletier's constricted street access highlighted the need for a separate, more secure entrance for the head of state. This concern and the inadequate facilities and temporary nature of the theatre gave added urgency to
4620-449: The apex of the south gable of the stage flytower , is the work of Aimé Millet . On either side of the stage gable wall are two identical bronze sculptures by Eugène-Louis Lequesne representing Fame holding back Pegasus . Also known as the Rotonde de l'Empereur, this group of rooms is located on the left (west) side of the building and was designed to allow secure and direct access by
4725-462: The architect. Notre-Dame de Paris Notre-Dame de Paris ( French: [nɔtʁ(ə) dam də paʁi] ; meaning " Our Lady of Paris "), often referred to simply as Notre-Dame , is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the River Seine), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris , France. The cathedral, dedicated in honour of the Virgin Mary (Our Lady),
4830-576: The award. Since October 31, 1914 the jury members of the Prix Goncourt have been gathering on the first Tuesday of each month in Drouant' s first-floor lounge named salon Goncourt . During the November meetings, the jury vote for the Goncourt winner of the year. The Prix Renaudot jury have been gathering in another lounge named salon Renaudot since 1926. A scene of Gérard Oury 's film The Sucker (1965)
4935-531: The behest of Emperor Napoleon III . Initially referred to as le nouvel Opéra de Paris (the new Paris Opera), it soon became known as the Palais Garnier, "in acknowledgment of its extraordinary opulence" and the architect Charles Garnier 's plans and designs, which are representative of the Napoleon III style . It was the primary theatre of the Paris Opera and its associated Paris Opera Ballet until 1989, when
5040-585: The boy-king Henry VI of England was crowned king of France in Notre-Dame, aged ten, the traditional coronation church of Reims Cathedral being under French control. During the Renaissance , the Gothic style fell out of style, and the internal pillars and walls of Notre-Dame were covered with tapestries. In 1548, rioting Huguenots damaged some of the statues of Notre-Dame, considering them idolatrous . The fountain [ fr ] in Notre-Dame's parvis
5145-469: The building of a new state-funded opera house. By March, Haussmann settled on Rohault de Fleury's proposed site off the Boulevard des Capucines, although this decision was not announced publicly until 1860. A new building would help resolve the awkward convergence of streets at this location, and the site was economical in terms of the cost of land. On 29 September 1860 an Imperial Decree officially designated
5250-591: The cathedral of Notre-Dame was a Romanesque remodeling of Saint-Étienne that, although enlarged and remodeled, was found to be unfit for the growing population of Paris. A baptistery , the Church of Saint-John-le-Rond , built about 452, was located on the north side of the west front of Notre-Dame until the work of Jacques-Germain Soufflot in the 18th century. In 1160, the Bishop of Paris , Maurice de Sully , decided to build
5355-503: The cathedral. The arson was halted when the Communard government realised that the fire would also destroy the neighbouring Hôtel-Dieu hospital, filled with hundreds of patients. During the liberation of Paris in August 1944, the cathedral suffered some minor damage from stray bullets. Some of the medieval glass was damaged, and was replaced by glass with modern abstract designs. On 26 August,
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#17328686871145460-601: The cathedral. The building's exterior was whitewashed and the interior decorated in Neoclassical style, then in vogue. In the decades after the Napoleonic Wars , Notre-Dame fell into such a state of disrepair that Paris officials considered its demolition. Victor Hugo , who admired the cathedral, wrote the novel Notre-Dame de Paris (published in English as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame ) in 1831 to save Notre-Dame. The book
5565-461: The ceiling into the auditorium, killing a concierge. This incident inspired one of the more famous scenes in Gaston Leroux 's classic 1910 gothic novel The Phantom of the Opera . Originally the chandelier was raised up through the ceiling into the cupola over the auditorium for cleaning, but now it is lowered. The space in the cupola was used in the 1960s for opera rehearsals, and in the 1980s
5670-427: The ceiling of the cathedral had several holes but was otherwise intact. The Great Organ, which has over 8,000 pipes and was built by François Thierry in the 18th century was also saved but damaged by water. An ornate tapestry woven in the early 1800s, on public display for only the third time in recent decades, was saved from the fire. Because of the renovation, the copper statues on the flèche had been removed before
5775-409: The chef of Drouant . He offers French dishes made of seasonal products. The private lounges are located on the upper floors. The ground floor designed by architect Pascal Desprez has a light setting inspired by the Neoclassical style . In 2014, quotes of each of the 10 jury members of the Prix Goncourt were written on the inner walls of the restaurant as a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of
5880-402: The choir, where the altar was located, in order to bring more light into the centre of the church. The use of simpler four-part rather than six-part rib vaults meant that the roofs were stronger and could be higher. After Bishop Maurice de Sully's death in 1196, his successor, Eudes de Sully oversaw the completion of the transepts, and continued work on the nave , which was nearing completion at
5985-746: The countries in Greek (Egypt=ΑΙΓΥΠΤΟΣ, Greece=ΕΛΛΑΣ, Italy=ΙΤΑΛΙΑ and France=ΓΑΛΛΙΑ). At the east and west end of the Avant foyer there are the Salon du Soleil (Salon of the Sun) and the Salon de la Lune (Salon of the Moon). They were designed as the entrance vestibules for the smoking room and the Galerie du Glacier. Their themes were heat for the smoking room and cold for the Glacier, but because they completed in haste in order to be ready for
6090-432: The façade. The building is 154.9 metres (508 ft) long; 70.2 metres (230 ft) wide at the lateral galleries; 101.2 metres (332 ft) wide at the east and west pavilions; 10.13 metres (33.2 ft) from ground level to bottom of the cistern under the stage. The structural system is made of masonry walls; concealed iron floors, vaults, and roofs. The opera was constructed in what Charles Garnier (1825–1898)
6195-410: The fire had spread to the north tower, where the eight bells were located. The firefighters concentrated their efforts in the tower. They feared that, if the bells fell, they could wreck the tower, and endanger the structure of the other tower and the whole cathedral. They had to ascend a stairway threatened by fire, and to contend with low water pressure for their hoses. As others watered the stairway and
6300-448: The fire. Since 1905, France's cathedrals (including Notre-Dame) have been owned by the state, which is self-insured. Some costs might be recovered through insurance coverage if the fire is found to have been caused by contractors working on the site. The French insurer AXA provided insurance coverage for two of the contracting firms working on Notre-Dame's restoration before the blaze. AXA also provided insurance coverage for some of
6405-535: The first buttresses is not known with precision beyond an installation date in the 13th century. Art historian Andrew Tallon , however, has argued, based on detailed laser scans of the entire structure, that the buttresses were part of the original design. According to Tallon, the scans indicate that "the upper part of the building has not moved one smidgen in 800 years," whereas if they were added later some movement from prior to their addition would be expected. Tallon thus concluded that flying buttresses were present from
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#17328686871146510-427: The inauguration of 1875, in the rush there was a mistake and the themes were reversed. This hall, 18 metres (59 ft) high, 54 metres (177 ft) long and 13 metres (43 ft) wide, was designed to act as a drawing room for Paris society. It was restored in 2004. Its ceiling was painted by Paul-Jacques-Aimé Baudry and represents various moments in the history of music. The foyer opens onto an outside loggia and
6615-411: The late 2010s. The entire renovation was estimated to cost €100 million, which the archbishop of Paris planned to raise through funds from the national government and private donations. A €6 million renovation of the cathedral's flèche began in late 2018 and continued into the following year, requiring the temporary removal of copper statues on the roof and other decorative elements days before
6720-412: The laying of the cornerstone in the presence of King Louis VII and Pope Alexander III . Four phases of construction took place under bishops Maurice de Sully and Eudes de Sully (not related to Maurice), according to masters whose names have been lost. Analysis of vault stones that fell in the 2019 fire shows that they were quarried in Vexin , a county northwest of Paris, and presumably brought up
6825-642: The left and right lateral returns of the front façade are busts of the librettists Eugène Scribe and Philippe Quinault , respectively. The bases of the two avant-corps are decorated (from left to right) with four major multi-figure groups sculpted by François Jouffroy ( Poetry , also known as Harmony ), Jean-Baptiste Claude Eugène Guillaume ( Instrumental Music ), Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux ( The Dance , criticised for indecency), and Jean-Joseph Perraud ( Lyrical Drama ). The façade also incorporates other work by Gumery, Alexandre Falguière , and others. The sculptural group Apollo, Poetry, and Music , located at
6930-402: The medieval era , construction of the cathedral began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and was largely completed by 1260, though it was modified in succeeding centuries. In the 1790s, during the French Revolution , Notre-Dame suffered extensive desecration ; much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. In the 19th century, the coronation of Napoleon and the funerals of many of
7035-399: The mosaic panels with the mythological couples include theatre masks, musical instruments, birds, all surrounded by flowers, fruits and gold. There are four bronze gilt medallions representing musical instruments ( sistrum for Egypt, lyre for Greece, tambourine and pan flute for Italy, ivory horn for France), encircled by leaf-work characteristic of each country and have the name of
7140-401: The movement of large numbers of people and space for socialising during intermission. Rich with velvet, gold leaf, and cherubim and nymphs, the interior is characteristic of Baroque sumptuousness. The building features a large ceremonial staircase of white marble with a balustrade of red and green marble, which divides into two divergent flights of stairs that lead to the Grand Foyer. Its design
7245-416: The name of the fourth vowel [O]; among which smaller orbs and circles, with wondrous artifice, so that some arranged circularly, others angularly, surround windows ruddy with precious colours and beautiful with the most subtle figures of the pictures. In fact, I believe that this church offers the carefully discerning such cause for admiration that its inspection can scarcely sate the soul. On 16 December 1431,
7350-416: The nave behind the choir and its aisles to the height of the clerestories . It began after the completion of the choir but ended before the final allotted section of the nave was finished. Beginning in 1190, the bases of the façade were put in place, and the first traverses were completed. Heraclius of Caesarea called for the Third Crusade in 1185 from the still-incomplete cathedral. Louis IX deposited
7455-465: The opening and the scaffolding was removed. At the foot of the Grand staircase, Garnier wanted to place a white marble statue of Orpheus , but there weren't enough funds for this. Then there were talks about moving the La Danse (Carpeaux) from the main façade, but instead Garnier chose the Pythia by Adèle d'Affry (the artist also known by the pseudonym Marcello). There are two bronze lamps on each side of Pythia, made by Jules Corboz. The intrados of
7560-588: The ornaments by Facchina. The architecture is by Charles Garnier." (Greek inscription 2) The mosaic represent four couples from the Greek mythology ( Hermes and Psyche , Artemis and Endymion , Orpheus and Eurydice , Eos and Cephalus ). In two of the panels the scenes are more erotic (Artemis - Endymion, Eos - Cephalus), while the other two depict the couples leaving the underworld and are more about death than love (Hermes - Psyche, Orpheus - Eurydice). The theme of death and love alternate. The decoration framing
7665-552: The outset. The first buttresses were replaced by larger and stronger ones in the 14th century; these had a reach of fifteen metres (50 ft) between the walls and counter-supports. John of Jandun recognized the cathedral as one of Paris's three most important buildings [prominent structures] in his 1323 Treatise on the Praises of Paris : That most glorious church of the most glorious Virgin Mary, mother of God, deservedly shines out, like
7770-593: The restaurant was awarded 1 star by the Michelin Guide in 1988, then 2 stars in 2005. In 2006, the 3-star Alsatian chef Antoine Westermann , a parent of the Drouant family, became the chef and owner of the restaurant. The establishment was officially renamed Drouant par Antoine Westermann . In 2018, the restaurant was bought by the Gardinier brothers from the Gardinier & Fils company. Since 2018, Émile Cotte has been
7875-442: The restoration of the nearby Sainte-Chapelle , were appointed in 1844. The next year, Viollet-le-Duc submitted a budget of 3,888,500 francs , which was reduced to 2,650,000 francs, for the restoration of Notre-Dame and the construction of a new sacristy building. This budget was exhausted in 1850, and work stopped as Viollet-le-Duc made proposals for more money. In totality, the restoration cost over 12 million francs. Supervising
7980-490: The right (east) side of the building as a counterpart to the Pavillon de l'Empereur, this pavilion was designed to allow subscribers ( abonnés ) direct access from their carriages to the interior of the building. It is covered by a 13.5-metre (44-ft) diameter dome. Paired obelisks mark the entrances to the rotunda on the north and the south. The interior consists of interweaving corridors, stairwells, alcoves and landings, allowing
8085-399: The roof pressed outward and down to the walls, and the abutments supporting them. With the flying buttress, the weight was carried by the ribs of the vault entirely outside the structure to a series of counter-supports, which were topped with stone pinnacles which gave them greater weight. The buttresses meant that the walls could be higher and thinner, and could have larger windows. The date of
8190-425: The roof, a team of 20 firefighters climbed the narrow stairway of the south tower, crossed to the north tower, lowered hoses to be connected to fire engines outside the cathedral, and sprayed water on the fire beneath the bells. By 21:45, they brought the fire under control. The main structure was intact; firefighters saved the façade, towers, walls, buttresses, and stained-glass windows. The stone vaulting that forms
8295-456: The sculpture of mythical creatures on the Galerie des Chimères . The construction of the sacristy was especially financially costly. To secure a firm foundation, it was necessary for Viollet-le-Duc's labourers to dig nine metres (thirty feet). Master glassworkers meticulously copied styles of the 13th century, as written about by art historians Antoine Lusson and Adolphe Napoléon Didron . During
8400-431: The site for the new Opéra, which would eventually occupy 12,000 square metres (1.2 ha; 130,000 sq ft). By November 1860 Rohault de Fleury had completed the design for what he thought would be the crowning work of his career and was also working on a commission from the city to design the façades of the other buildings lining the new square to ensure they were in harmony. However, that same month Achille Fould
8505-443: The staircase have plant motifs and musical instruments, masks and shells, the artist imagine it as a Nymphaeum . According to the Greek mythology, Pythia was the priestess of Apollo, the god of arts, and she delivered the oracles of the god. Marcello wanted her Pythia to look different from Pythias of other artists. She wrote: "will be an Indian Pythia, the one whose tongue Alexander set wagging. A kind of gypsy." "A poor woman of
8610-408: The stone. By the late 1980s, several gargoyles and turrets had also fallen or become too loose to remain safely in place. A decade-long renovation programme began in 1991 and replaced much of the exterior, with care given to retain the authentic architectural elements of the cathedral, including rigorous inspection of new limestone blocks. A discreet system of electrical wires, not visible from below,
8715-475: The story of Theophilus in the tympanum , with a highly influential statue of the Virgin and Child in the trumeau . Master builders Pierre de Chelles , Jean Ravy [ fr ] , Jean le Bouteiller, and Raymond du Temple [ fr ] succeeded de Chelles and de Montreuil and then each other in the construction of the cathedral. Ravy completed de Chelles's rood screen and chevet chapels, then began
8820-528: The sun among stars. And although some speakers, by their own free judgment, because [they are] able to see only a few things easily, may say that some other is more beautiful, I believe, however, respectfully, that, if they attend more diligently to the whole and the parts, they will quickly retract this opinion. Where indeed, I ask, would they find two towers of such magnificence and perfection, so high, so large, so strong, clothed round about with such multiple varieties of ornaments? Where, I ask, would they find such
8925-431: The time of his death in 1208. By this time, the western façade was already largely built, though it was not completed until around the mid-1240s. Between 1225 and 1250 the upper gallery of the nave was constructed, along with the two towers on the west façade. Another significant change came in the mid-13th century, when the transepts were remodelled in the latest Rayonnant style; in the late 1240s Jean de Chelles added
9030-557: The time the guard had climbed the 300 steps to the cathedral attic, the fire was well advanced. The alarm system was not designed to automatically notify the fire brigade, which was finally summoned at 18:51 after the guard had returned from the attic and reported a now-raging fire, and more than half an hour after the fire alarm had begun sounding. Firefighters arrived in less than ten minutes. The cathedral's flèche collapsed at 19:50, bringing down some 750 tonnes of stone and lead. The firefighters inside were ordered back down. By this time
9135-416: The top of the northern towers at Notre-Dame were melted down and recast into new bronze bells in 2013, to celebrate the building's 850th anniversary. They were designed to recreate the sound of the cathedral's original bells from the 17th century. Despite the 1990s renovation, the cathedral had continued to show signs of deterioration that prompted the national government to propose a new renovation program in
9240-537: The words "ARCHITECTURE" and "INDUSTRIE" in gold. The woman who represents architecture holds a compass and a plan of the Opéra Nouvel , at her feet is a winged genius holding a torch. The woman representing industry holds a lead pig and a hammer, while a winged genius stands at her feet, carrying a cup full of jewels. At the east pediment a sculpture of two women sitting down representing Painting and Sculpture by Theodore Gruyere . The women surround an escutcheon with
9345-542: The words "PEINTURE" (painting) and "SCULPTURE" in gold. The woman who represents painting holds a brush and a palette, at her feet is a putto holding a pencil. The woman representing sculpture holds a hammer and a chisel, at her feet is a putto sculpturing a bust with a mallet and a gouge. Gilded galvanoplastic bronze busts of many of the great composers are located between the columns of the theatre's front façade and depict, from left to right, Rossini , Auber , Beethoven , Mozart , Spontini , Meyerbeer , and Halévy . On
9450-521: Was "sacrificed". Victorin de Joncières protested against this and wrote that it would be better if Urania was "sacrificed", since she was the Muse of Astronomy. Nuitter responded that Polyhymnia has a statue in the Grand Foyer among the Qualities. Polyhymnia is also depicted in the big Parnassus panel on the far right corner. The auditorium has a traditional Italian horseshoe shape and can seat 1,979. The stage
9555-555: Was added in 1625 to provide nearby Parisians with running water. Since 1449, the Parisian goldsmith guild had made regular donations to the cathedral chapter. In 1630, the guild began donating a large altarpiece every year on the first of May. These works came to be known as the grands mays . The subject matter was restricted to episodes from the Acts of the Apostles . The prestigious commission
9660-519: Was also installed on the roof to deter pigeons. The cathedral's pipe organ was upgraded with a computerized system to control the mechanical connections to the pipes . The west face was cleaned and restored in time for millennium celebrations in December 1999. The Requiem Mass of Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger , former archbishop of Paris and Jewish convert to Catholicism, was held in Notre-Dame on 10 August 2007. The set of four 19th-century bells at
9765-469: Was an enormous success, raising awareness of the cathedral's decaying state. The same year as Hugo's novel was published, anti- Legitimists plundered Notre-Dame's sacristy . In 1844 King Louis Philippe ordered that the church be restored. The architect who had hitherto been in charge of Notre-Dame's maintenance, Étienne-Hippolyte Godde , was dismissed. In his stead, Jean-Baptiste Lassus and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc , who had distinguished themselves with
9870-407: Was awarded honorary status as a minor basilica . As the cathedral of the archdiocese of Paris , Notre-Dame contains the cathedra of the archbishop of Paris (currently Laurent Ulrich ). In the early 21st century, approximately 12 million people visited Notre-Dame annually, making it the most visited monument in Paris. The cathedral is renowned for its Lent sermons, a tradition founded in
9975-458: Was awarded to the most prominent painters and, after 1648, members of the Académie Royale . Seventy-six paintings had been donated by 1708, when the custom was discontinued for financial reasons. Those works were confiscated in 1793 and the majority were subsequently dispersed among regional museums in France. Those that remained in the cathedral were removed or relocated within the building by
10080-419: Was built on the site, close to the royal palace. The entrance was situated about 40 metres (130 ft) west of the present west front of Notre-Dame, and the apse was located about where the west façade is today. It was roughly half the size of the later Notre-Dame, 70 metres (230 ft) long—and separated into nave and four aisles by marble columns, then decorated with mosaics . The last church before
10185-414: Was designed by Garnier. Jules Corboz prepared the model, and it was cast and chased by Lacarière, Delatour & Cie. The total cost came to 30,000 gold francs . The use of a central chandelier aroused controversy, and it was criticised for obstructing views of the stage by patrons in the fourth level boxes and views of the ceiling painted by Lenepveu. Garnier had anticipated these disadvantages but provided
10290-626: Was founded as a bar and tobacco shop by Charles Drouant in 1880. At the turn of the century, it gained popularity thanks to its fresh oysters delivered by Drouant's brother-in-law, who farmed them in Brittany . The restaurant was taken over by Charles Drouant's son Jean Drouant in 1914, then by Jean's nephew –also named Jean– from 1946 to 1976. The latter sold the restaurant to Robert Pascal, a bougnat from Aveyron who had been working at Drouant for forty years. The establishment changed hands several times between 1986 and 2006. Thanks to chef Louis Gondard,
10395-529: Was inspired by Victor Louis 's grand staircase for the Théâtre de Bordeaux . The pedestals of the staircase are decorated with female torchères, created by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse . The ceiling above the staircase was painted by Isidore Pils to depict The Triumph of Apollo , The Enchantment of Music Deploying its Charms , Minerva Fighting Brutality Watched by the Gods of Olympus , and The City of Paris Receiving
10500-459: Was not completed in the original design. On the third attempt to introduce it since 1875, a restaurant was opened on the eastern side of the building in 2011. L'Opéra Restaurant was designed by French architect Odile Decq . The chef was Christophe Aribert ; in October 2015, Guillame Tison-Malthé became the new head chef. The restaurant, which has three different spaces and a large outside terrace,
10605-507: Was rededicated in 1793 to the Cult of Reason , and then to the Cult of the Supreme Being in 1794. During this time, many of the treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or plundered. The twenty-eight statues of biblical kings located at the west façade, mistaken for statues of French kings, were beheaded. Many of the heads were found during a 1977 excavation nearby, and are on display at
10710-600: Was remodelled into two floors of dance rehearsal space. The lower floor consists of the Salle Nureïev ( Nureyev ) and the Salle Balanchine , and the upper floor, the Salle Petipa . The grand organ was built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll for use during lyrical works. It has been out of service for several decades. Garnier had originally planned to install a restaurant in the opera house; however, for budgetary reasons, it
10815-448: Was replaced as Minister of State by Count Alexandre Colonna-Walewski . His wife Marie Anne de Ricci Poniatowska had used her position as mistress of Napoleon III to obtain her husband's appointment. Aware of competing designs and under pressure to give the commission to Viollet-le-Duc , who had the support of Empress Eugénie , Walewski escaped the need to make a decision by proposing to mount an architectural design competition to select
10920-465: Was shot in the restaurant. Palais Garnier The Palais Garnier ( French: [palɛ ɡaʁnje] , Garnier Palace), also known as L'Opéra Garnier ( French: [ɔpeʁa ɡaʁnje] , Garnier Opera), is a historic 1,979-seat opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris , France. It was built for the Paris Opera from 1861 to 1875 at
11025-495: Was too dark. The medieval stained glass windows, except the rosettes, were removed and replaced with plain, white glass panes. Lastly, Jacques-Germain Soufflot was tasked with the modification of the portals at the front of the cathedral to allow processions to enter more easily. After the French Revolution in 1789, Notre-Dame and the rest of the church's property in France was seized and made public property. The cathedral
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