Well, that is enough of standing on the doorstep of Notre Dame… let’s go in and have a look around, shall we… wait… are you staring at my uneven nostrils again? Cheeky monkey!
Now that is an impressive use of overhead space.
The lighting in Notre Dame is an interesting combination of sunlight streaming through stained glass, artificial lighting, and candles. The light mixes with the smoke from the candles and incense and the dust motes and does strange dances.
This is only our second stop on what turned out to be a very busy day, and it was still early morning.
I was still feeling pretty good.
I mean, my feet were a little beat up after all the walking around and on the Eiffel Tower, but so far so good.
Europe had not yet begun to conquer me.
I like that picture because the camera decided to focus on the candles instead of the windows, and I like the way the stained glass makes a blurry backdrop.
It pays to remember, when visiting churches and cathedrals in Europe, that they are still working houses of worship.
While you are wandering around with the hoard of tourists, try not to trample the little old ladies who just came in to say a quick prayer.
That isn’t just a work of art for you to gawk at, it is also someone’s shrine.
And don’t forget to read the plaques… they can help explain the meaning behind some of the more obscure symbolism.
The candles are not there to provide mood lighting.
They are there because someone lit them for… some religious reason… most likely…
I will admit that there are times when the line between the religious symbolism and more earthly works of art are not clear to me, but I do seem to recall that Joan of Arc was considered to be important for a reason that somehow combined religion and the killing of English soldiers, so of course it makes sense to have her in a church… she heard voices… telling her to kill English soldiers…
I wasn’t kidding about the cathedrals being active places of worship. I don’t just mean that the local people come in to pray. I mean that you and a few hundred other tourists might actually be in there when an actual service is going on… which explains the overpowering density of the incense smoke. Try to be respectful.
Okay, that’s about enough… I am starting to choke on the clouds of incense now… I don’t care how cool it makes the light coming through the stained glass look… I need air…
Thank you, Jesus, for letting us into your dad’s house to take pictures.
Let’s go look at the outside… we haven’t seen the back or the sides yet…
Pouring My Art Out 
Hehe, ‘It kicked my ass, and I am smiling.’
oh yeah
I’ll show you my back side… hey, I think I could put a church into those nostrils! Convenient. And highly scenic.
They are like a swirling yin/yang symbol…
I understand you’re an amateur historian but hey, a little checking is not useless . Joan of Arc never killed a human being . She insisted on this when she was still free and after, during her trial .
She took a part in very few battles, not the three main ones that put a definitive end to the 100 years war, Patay, Formigny and Castillon, but she was a standard-bearer, and didn’t even give military orders, just a few advices .
The “voices” didn’t tell her to kill Englishmen but to “drive the English out of France” .
About non Christians items in churches, it is far more obvious in earlier style , Roman churches . There are many elements influenced by the Druids . Druidic knowledge of the ancient Gauls was never lost, many Druids took shelter in Christian monasteries, for Druidism and Christianism get along well . All French cathedrals are built on Druidic power knots, and their builders combined knowledge from Solomon’s Temple builders brought back by the Knights Templars and Druidic knowledge .
People! Are you reading these comments? Your really should! You might as well learn something while you are here…
Amazing pictures Art – Thank you so much. It took from 1163 to 1345 to build that sucker – 180 years. Amazing. It is one of the most outstanding examples of exterior flying buttress construction in Europe. Apparently that was accidental for as they built the walls higher they began to crack and sag. The exterior buttresses were added to reinforce the walls in order to get the height they wanted for the interior vault. Awesome architecture. There were many architects who devoted their lives to designing and building Notre-Dame and apparently you can see the differing styles if you know how to look. We didn’t get a chance to look inside when I was in Paris so I am very pleased that you published these pictures. Mind blowingly beautiful. Thank You.
heh heh… you said buttress
That’s a female butt ya know…
in a way… I guess…
Lovely shots, I like the way the candles stole the limelight.
me too!
Hi Art.
Beautiful Cathedral, but when we were living in Paris so many years ago there weren’t many people attending mass. It’s on th Ile Cite where my husbands ancesters used to live.
Leslie
that is so awesome
Notre Dame Cathedral is awesome!
Leslie
St. Chapelle might be more beautiful
St. Chapelle has a mysterious blue hue to it from the windows. It too is very beautiful.
Leslie
yup
Somethings you never forget.
Leslie
well, I might, but I know what you mean