Notre Dame....Queen of the Gothic Cathedrals

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Thanks to a follower of the blog....Adrian.....he mentioned that I read "Pillars of the Earth", knowing that I liked the history behind the great cathedrals of Europe.  Wow, what a book as well as it's sequel...World without End.  I will pass along Adrian's suggestion....if these massive works of art built in the middle ages amaze you as they do me....please do yourself a favor and tackle the mammoth 800 page Pillars of the Earth.  You won't be able to put it down.

Notre Dame on the Seine in Paris is probably the best known Gothic Cathedral.  I can't hardly get my head around the fact that it took over 800 years to build this magnificent edifice.  8 or 9 generations of masons, carpenters and architects worked on this cathedral.  Meaning that many of the builders did not get to see the finished product.

As with so many of the great cathedrals, gargoyles protect the church from the invasion of evil spirits.  These sentinels have stood watch for over 900 years from their lofty perches.   Being able to visit Notre Dame and stand within it's walls was one of the most memorable highlights of our European trek that summer.

Dan