Paris main page

Paris through the Ages contents

Paris through the Ages-The Grand Notre Dame Tour Part 2-Gargoyles (all credit to Arthur Gillette)

Paris main page

Paris dining world!!!!

Book a Paris hotel on line

The Cathedral building begun in 1163, construction lasted at least until 1320—some say it continues today, as you can witness walking around the church. The first known architect was Jean de Chelles in the 1250, succeeded by Pierre de Montreuil (Designer of the Sainte Chapelle). Before that, the nameless master builders had “free macons”, those sufficiently skilled to work “rough” or free stone, and who were allowed in bad weather to labor in “huts” on the parvis called lodges. These men traveled from one building site to another, and shared their professional, know how in the lodges. The secrecy, (often relating geometry to philosophy) gave rise, later, to speculations that in turn, gave birth to Free Masonry, whence Free Mason’s Lodges and ritual trowels.
The Cathedral’s construction did not follow a single plan, the overall scheme evolving as the gothic style became more pronounced in Europe. Overall, Notre Dame Notre Dame was built in two overlapping waves: 1136 ca.1250 (the central body of the church including the towers), and 1220-1320 (addition of the flying buttresses-to open space for stained glass windows-and the lateral chapels between them.
To be quite honest, much of what you are viewing is a 19^th century renovation, including elements (some even signed by their sculptors!)copied from other cathedrals, by Eugene Viollet le Duc.
Please walk now along rue due Cloitre-Notre-Dame (the Cathedral museum is at no.10 to the CLOISTER PORTAL, the door of the northern transept. Looking up you can’t fail to notice the (mostly 19^th century) GARGOYLES. Their name harks back to a 13^th century French word for “throat” (root=gorg-whence then English “garle”) an etymology expressing their function. : to drain rainwater from the roof and dispose of it as far as possible from the base of the cathedral thus preventing infiltration. But what have these grimacing beasts have to do with a Christian house of worship? According to varying theories, they:
-they represent the Great Void before God created the world, and the pagan state of human kind before Christianity, I mean that all creatures, imaginary as well as real, join in celebrating the church’s victory or…..
-serve as charms to ward off evil spirits.
Look now at the LINTEL i.e. the triangular space ABOVE THE PORTAL which was built ca.1250.In the Middle Ages when illiteracy was near universal friezes such as this served as a kind of stone comic strip to propagate stories from the bible, and other often apocryphal sources as well. I will refrain from commenting the quality of this 750 year-old sculpture, and that to come, to urge you to look at them very carefully.

Bibliography:

Folder no 6 containing stroll number 6 of Pierre Gilette’s series about Paris through the ages edited by Media-Cartes They are still obtainable by mailing to  Armedv@aol.com