Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens Dec 8, 2024

Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens

In the heart of Paris stands one of the city"s most enduring icons: Notre-Dame Cathedral. Built between the 12th and 13th centuries on the Île de la Cité—an island in the Seine—Notre-Dame has witnessed centuries of French history, from the Hundred Years" War to the French Revolution, and beyond. Although it was chosen by Napoleon as the site of his coronation as emperor in 1804, by the early 19th century, the cathedral was in a state of disrepair. However, one novel changed its fortunes: "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. The popularity of this book helped encourage a restoration project that renewed the cathedral"s former beauty.

© Julien Fromentin/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Dec 8, 2018How lovely are your branches
Dec 8, 2019Mod gear
Dec 8, 2020A fortress in the sky
Dec 8, 2021Petrified Forest National Park
Dec 8, 2022The Cathedral of Florence, Italy
Dec 8, 2023La Rocque Harbour, Island of Jersey
Dec 8, 2025Christmas lights in Domaso, Lake Como, Italy

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jun 29, 2022International Day of the Tropics
Aug 30, 2020Hay, what s up?
Jan 14, 2018Sanday Island and the North Sea, Scotland
Sep 7, 2025Gdańsk on the banks of the Motława, Poland
May 20, 2025World Bee Day
Jan 17, 2025Brown pelican, San Diego, California
Oct 21, 2025Happy Diwali!
Nov 19, 2024Tasmans Arch, Tasmania, Australia
Dec 8, 2020A fortress in the sky
May 10, 2019Looking back on 150 years of rail travel
Aug 21, 2018Ingenuity in action on the Santa Monica Pier
Nov 3, 2018A bison preserve
Feb 7, 2021It s superb owl Sunday
Aug 5, 2025Tide pools in La Jolla, California
Mar 30, 2019Here’s why landmarks are going dark
Mar 17, 2019St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland
Sep 23, 2023Autumnal equinox
Jun 24, 2022Cenote near Puerto Aventuras, Mexico
Jun 8, 2019Diving into World Oceans Day
Sep 15, 2020For Hispanic Heritage Month: Out of Many, One
Sep 5, 20242024 Toronto International Film Festival
Jul 17, 2021Pretty, pretty…butterfly?
Jul 11, 2024World Population Day
Dec 14, 2018Time to count some birds
Jul 20, 2023International Moon Day
Apr 9, 2018The Lena Delta Wildlife Reserve in Siberia, Russia
Dec 23, 2025Reindeer, Lapland, Finland
Jan 17, 2024Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany
Jan 30, 2021Even nature needs a backup plan…
Apr 27, 2023South Padre Island, Texas