Early Christian and Gothic
Notre Dame Cathedral is a well-known and reputable French Cathedral. The construction of Nortre-Dame was started in 1163; its first stone was laid in the presence of Pop Alexander III (Hanser). Nortre-Dame Cathedral is a representation of the medieval Gothic architecture. The new building of the Cathedral was made according to the novel movement of art, which is called gothic style, also known as ogival style (Fazio, and Moffett). In 1225-1250, two towers and a gallery were made on the upper front, the cathedral was modified and the upper windows were expanded in order to improve the exterior of the cathedral. Flying buttresses was the most significant feature of Notre Dame Cathedral. Further, there was wide roof space over the gallery, and there are circular opening below it. Further, choir chapels were constructed. The interior of the Cathedral was beautified with the Gothic carvings and the figures of the Kings belonging to Old Testament.
Christianity, however, began to spread when Maurice de Sully, felt the need of a church in the city and called for its construction. Ultimately, the cornerstone of the Nortre dame Cathedral was laid, and its construction completed in the year 1177. With the formation of cathedral, Christianity was introduced to a majority of people, because the cathedral got support from the Catholics, who had firm belief on the Christian faith. More and more people started accepting the Christian beliefs and faith, and this pave the way to the spread of the Christian ideology in Notre Dame Cathedral and in France under the French rule.
References
Fazio, Michael W., and Marian Moffett. A World History of Architecture. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2008. Print.
Hanser, David A. Architecture of France. Westport: Greenwood Group, 2006. Print.
