Notre Dame. Cathedral of Cathedrals

Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris(Notre Dame de Paris): detailed information about Notre Dame Cathedral, architecture and history of Notre Dame de Paris, location on the map.

Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral or Notre Dame is the oldest and most famous cathedral of Paris, located in its oldest part - the Ile de la Cité. This is a magnificent Gothic masterpiece, immortalized by the genius Victor Hugo and turned into an iconic place in the French capital along with the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.

In addition to the magnificent cathedral building and its interior, you can appreciate the beauty of Paris from the heights of the towers. To climb them you need to overcome more than 350 steps. You can also see the archaeological crypt, which will “tell” the history of the city from Gallo-Roman times to the 19th century.

History of Notre-Dame de Paris

Already in the 3rd century, the first Christians appeared in ancient Paris. St. was sent here. Dionysius, executed on the Montmartre hill, and later became the patron saint of the city (the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis is also named after him). After Constantine approved Christianity as the official religion in the Roman Empire, in the 4th century, on the site of a pagan temple, the first Christian cathedral was built on the Isle of Cité - the Cathedral of St. Stefan. It is not known exactly what it looked like or its exact dimensions, but it is believed that it was a large five-nave basilica, rebuilt in the 6th-7th century.

Stone Cathedral of St. Stephen's was able to stand the test of time, but in the 12th century, Louis VII and Bishop de Sully decided to build a new, more magnificent cathedral. In 1163, the first stone of the future Notre Dame was laid. Construction continued until 1250.

Throughout its history, before the French Revolution, Notre Dame Cathedral was rebuilt and renovated several times. The revolution caused terrible damage to the cathedral - the statues of kings on the facade were destroyed, all the large sculptures were destroyed, stained glass windows and portals were damaged. Notre Dame fell into such a deplorable state that the possibility of its demolition was seriously discussed. Fortunately, largely thanks to Victor Hugo and his legendary novel Notre Dame de Paris, it was decided to restore the cathedral. In the mid-19th century, Notre Dame was reopened.

Architecture

The architectural style of the cathedral is Gothic. The western facade is divided into three parts vertically and horizontally.

The lower tier has three portals (entrances): the portal of St. Anna, the portal of the Virgin Mary, the portal of the Last Judgment. Each portal is decorated with bas-reliefs. Above the portals is the Arcade of Kings - 28 sculptures of Jewish kings damaged during the Revolution.

Above is the western rose - a figure of infinity and infinity, enclosed in a square. Built in the early 13th century, it is one of the three roses of the cathedral and the oldest of them.

The architecture of the cathedral features two bell towers - North and South. At the same time, the South Tower (closest to the river) looks less massive.

On the south side, the façade of the cathedral is also decorated with a rose and a spire, around which there are 12 figures of the apostles.

The roof of the cathedral is lead. Made of thin lead plates overlapped. The roof weight is about 210 tons. Also in the upper part, the façade of Notre Dame Cathedral is decorated with figurines of gargoyles and chimeras. Interestingly, there were no chimeras in the Middle Ages. They were installed in the 19th century during the restoration, as was the new lead roof.

Interior

The interior of Notre Dame does not boast fancy wall paintings. But this is the specificity of severe Gothic. The only source of light and color are the most beautiful stained glass windows. The original stained glass windows from the 13th century survive only on the cathedral roses. The remaining 110 stained glass windows were restored.

In the center of the nave there are sculptural compositions from the Gospel. In the right chapel of the cathedral there are paintings and sculptures donated. The cathedral chandelier is made of silver-plated bronze.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris houses one of the greatest Christian relics - the Crown of Thorns.

Operating mode and input

Notre Dame Cathedral is open daily from 8.00 to 18.45. On weekends until 19.45. Admission is free and free.

To climb the towers and admire the panorama of Paris from the height of the gargoyles you need to pay 10 euros. There is also a paid entrance to the crypt.

Rules of conduct

1. Notre Dame Cathedral is a working cathedral, so you need to be calm, quiet and respectful.
2. Luggage is prohibited.
3. Flash photography is prohibited.
4. They may not be allowed in short skirts and shorts.

How to get there?

–Line 4, Cite ou Saint-Michel
–Line 1, 11, Hotel de Ville
–Line 10, Maubert-Mutualité ou Cluny – La Sorbonne
–Line 7, 11 , 14 Châtelet

–Line B, Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame
–Line, C, Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame

–Routes 21, 38, 47, 85, 96, Arrêt Cité – Palais de Justice
–Route 47, Balabus Arrêt Cité – Parvis de Notre-Dame
–Routes 24, 47 Arrêt Notre-Dame – Quai de Montebello
–Routes 24, 47 Arrêt Petit Pont
–Routes 24, 27, Balabus Arrêt Pont Saint-Michel – Quai des Orfèvres
–Routes 24, 27, 96, Balabus Arrêt Saint-Michel
–Routes 21, 27, 38, 85, 96 Arrêt Saint-michel – Saint-Germain

Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre Dame de Paris) - the geographical and spiritual "heart" of Paris, is located in the eastern part of the Ile de la Cité, on the site of the first Christian church in Paris - St. Stephen's Basilica, built, in turn, on site of the Gallo-Roman Temple of Jupiter.

The cathedral reveals a duality of stylistic influences: on the one hand, there are echoes of the Romanesque style of Normandy with its characteristic powerful and dense unity, and on the other, innovative architectural achievements of the Gothic style are used, which give the building lightness and create the impression of simplicity of the vertical structure.

The height of the cathedral is 35 m, length is 130 m, width is 48 m, the height of the bell towers is 69 m, the weight of the Emmanuel bell in the eastern tower is 13 tons, its tongue is 500 kg.

Construction began in 1163, under Louis VII of France. Historians disagree about who exactly laid the first stone in the foundation of the cathedral - Bishop Maurice de Sully or the pope Alexander III. The main altar of the cathedral was consecrated in May 1182, by 1196 the nave of the building was almost completed, work continued only on the main facade.

The powerful and majestic facade is divided vertically into three parts by pilasters, and horizontally into three tiers by galleries, while the lower tier, in turn, has three deep portals. Above them is an arcade (Gallery of Kings) with twenty-eight statues representing the kings of ancient Judea.

Construction of the west gable, with its distinctive two towers, began around 1200.
Notre Dame Cathedral at night

During the construction of the cathedral, many different architects took part in it, as evidenced by the different styles and different heights of the western side and towers. The towers were completed in 1245 and the entire cathedral in 1345.

The cathedral, with its magnificent interior decoration, served for many centuries as the venue for royal weddings, imperial coronations and national funerals.

As in other Gothic churches, there is no wall painting, and the only source of color is the numerous stained glass windows of the tall lancet windows.

During the time of Louis XIV, at the end of the 17th century, the cathedral experienced serious changes: the graves and stained glass windows were destroyed.

During the Great French Revolution, at the end of the 18th century, the statues of the kings were overthrown by the rebellious people, many of the treasures of the cathedral were destroyed or plundered, the cathedral itself was generally under threat of demolition, and was saved only by its transformation into the “Temple of Reason”, and later it was used as a wine warehouse.

The cathedral was returned to the church and re-consecrated in 1802, under Napoleon.

Restoration began in 1841 under the direction of the architect Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879). This famous Parisian restorer also worked on the restoration of Amiens Cathedral, the Carcassonne fortress in the south of France and the Gothic church of Sainte-Chapelle. Restoring the building and sculptures, replacing broken statues and constructing the famous spire took 23 years. Viollet-le-Duc also came up with the idea of ​​a gallery of chimeras on the façade of the cathedral. The statues of chimeras are installed on the upper platform at the foot of the towers.

During these same years, buildings adjacent to the cathedral were demolished, resulting in the formation of the current square in front of its façade.

The cathedral houses one of the great Christian relics - the Crown of Thorns of Jesus Christ. Until 1063, the crown was located on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, from where it was transported to the palace of the Byzantine emperors in Constantinople. Baldwin II de Courtenay, the last emperor of the Latin Empire, was forced to pawn the relic in Venice, but due to lack of funds there was no money to buy it back. In 1238, King Louis IX of France acquired the crown from the Byzantine emperor. On August 18, 1239, the king brought it into Notre-Dame de Paris. In 1243-1248 at royal palace On the Ile de la Cité, the Sainte-Chapelle (Holy Chapel) was built to store the Crown of Thorns, which was located here before the French Revolution. The crown was later transferred to the treasury of Notre-Dame de Paris.

Pilgrimage trips to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

As befits one of the oldest buildings in Paris, Notre Dame(Notre Dame de Paris from French Notre Dame Cathedral) is located in the heart of the city, on. Earlier, in the 3rd-4th centuries, an ancient Roman temple was located on this site, and later, when the Romans ended their reign, the first Christian Church in Paris.

Construction began in 1163, but the most easily recognizable part of the structure, where the main entrance is located, consisting of three massive doors, as well as two rectangular towers, began to be built only in 1200. The construction and decoration of the ball was completely completed by 1345. Despite the fact that Notre Dame was built by many architects over 180 years, the original design of the Gothic cathedral was respected. And today we can admire the amazing symmetry and harmony of the structure, combined with rigor, clarity and balance.

The façade is visually clearly divided into three parts, both horizontally and and vertically as well. On the first level, horizontally, there are three portals with entrances to the temple: the Last Judgment (in the center), St. Anne (right), Our Lady (left).
Please note that above the left portal you can notice a slight deviation from the general symmetry; at the top it is shaped like a triangle, and not an oval arch, as on the two neighboring portals.

There is another violation of symmetry on the third level, in the main towers Notre Dame Cathedral, namely the left one is slightly wider than the right one. Why this was done is now unknown, but such subtle deviations of symmetry undoubtedly add even more mystery and grandeur to this structure.
On the second horizontal level there is the famous rose window, 10 meters in diameter, with stained glass, partly authentic, from the Middle Ages. To the right and left of it are smaller arched windows that surprisingly fit into the general style Notre Dame Cathedral, successfully complementing and emphasizing its other elements. Under the windows there is a gallery of kings, 28 sculptures of the kings of Judah, the ancestors of Christ.

It must be said that during the French Revolution, Notre Dame was
heavily plundered and fell into disrepair. By order of the Convention and Robespierre personally, illiterate rebels threw statues from the facade of the temple to the ground, bells and other church utensils were melted down, the altar was desecrated and looted.

For many years, Notre Dame Cathedral stood dilapidated and half-looted. Only after the publication of the novel of the same name, written by Victor Hugo in 1831, did the people again become interested in the building and the king issued a decree on the restoration of the temple.

The restoration of the temple lasted from 1841 to 1864. Were recreated numerous sculptures and stained glass windows, as well as new ones added. In the upper part of the building, at the ends of the beams, images of gargoyles (dragon-like snake) and many individual figures - chimeras - appeared. These fantastic creatures were added to the appearance of the temple and now we can see them on the site near the foot of the towers. In those years, the main spire of Notre Dame Cathedral, dismantled in 1786 by order of Robespierre, was also restored. Made of oak and covered with lead plates, the spire is 96 meters high and is surrounded by bronze figures at the base. The temple was also cleared of many outbuildings and now there is a spacious area in front of the main facade. It is from this square that all the roads in France originate, as evidenced by a bronze plaque with the inscription “0 km” installed here.

The monumental and majestic Notre Dame Cathedral rises on the Ile de la Cité in the center of Paris. His amazing story full of terrible, bloody, daring and epic events.

He was an eyewitness to revolutions and wars, destruction and reconstruction, immortalized in art, continuing to amaze with his strict and rich Gothic architecture, woven into the cast unity of the Romanesque style.

Book a visit to the Cathedral roof

There will be a temple! - the king decided

Louis VII

Louis VII reigned in 1163. Initially, he was going to become a monk, but by the will of fate he was forced to accept the throne when his older brother Philip, the main heir, died after falling from a horse. Having become king, Louis remained faithful to the church all his life, and it was under him that the construction of Notre-Dame de Paris began, and Pope Alexander III had the honor of laying the cornerstone of the foundation.

This majestic temple occupied an area where higher powers destined to build God's houses. According to archaeological research, four churches stood here in different eras.

The very first, in the 4th century, illuminated the earth with the early Christian church, followed by the Merovingian basilica, then the Carolingian cathedral, then the Romanesque cathedral, which was subsequently completely destroyed, and the stones were used as the foundation of the current sanctuary.

The walls went up in 1177, and the main altar was erected and illuminated in 1182. This event marked the completion of the arrangement of the eastern part of the transept. From that moment on, it was already possible to conduct worship services in the building, although painstaking work still had to last for decades. In 1186, the first grave appeared on the territory - that of Duke Geoffrey of Brittany, and in 1190 - that of Queen Isabella de Hainault.

The nave was nearing completion, and in 1200 construction began on the west façade, now easily recognizable by the two distinctive towers at the main entrance. There was not enough space for the grandiose structure, and in 1208 several nearby houses had to be demolished.

The southern bell tower became operational in 1240, and the northern tower 10 years later. This is considered to be the completion of the first stage of construction of the famous cathedral.

Final works that last a century

By 1257, first the northern and then the southern facades for the transept (a cross-shaped cornice on the plan) were built. In the same year, a spire was erected on the lead roof, which was destroyed in 1789 during revolutionary unrest, and now in its place is a copy installed during the restoration of 1840 by Engen Viollet-de-Duc.

The side chapels continued to be built until the 14th century, but the final touch was the completion of the enclosure around the liturgical choir with luxurious reclining chairs in which the canons were seated. Minor work continued for some time, but Notre Dame Cathedral was formally completed in 1351, and remained intact until the 18th century.

Events and persons in history

Over the course of two centuries, many architects worked on the architectural ensemble, but the most famous were the names of Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil. Jean began work in 1258, and his brainchild is the facades adjacent to the nave and the gates on the south and north sides, as indicated by a plaque on the southern side facade.

After the death of Jean, Pierre came to replace him in 1265, famous person from the time of “radiant Gothic”, who was called the doctor of stone affairs.

Periodically, the interior was changed, supplemented or restored.

In the years 1708 - 1725, the designer and architect of the early Rococo times - Robert de Cote, changed appearance space in front of the main altar - the cathedral choir. In 1711, he removed from under the throne the elements of the column of the Pillar of the Shipmen, which had once been installed by the ship corporation from Lutetia. A new main altar and sculptures were installed in this place.

On the brink of death

Next I made my adjustments French Revolution. Robespierre, as one of its most influential participants, put forward a demand to pay ransoms to the Convention for all future revolutions if the city does not want “the stronghold of obscurantism to be demolished.”

However, this did not influence the decision of the Convention in 1793, which decided that “all emblems of all kingdoms should be wiped out from the face of the earth.” At the same time, Robespierre took considerable pleasure in giving orders to behead the monarchs lined up in the gallery representing the kings of the Old Testament.

The revolutionaries did not spare the rest of the architecture, destroying stained glass windows and looting expensive utensils. At first the parish was declared the Temple of Reason, later the center of the Cult of the Supreme Being, until the premises were given over to a food warehouse, and then they completely lost interest in it, leaving it in the grip of oblivion.

Don't be surprised to see the statues of kings safe and sound - in the middle XIX century the ensemble was restored. When restoration work was carried out in 1977, part of the kings was discovered in a burial place under a private house. Its owner at one time bought the sculptures, as if for the foundation, buried them himself with honors, and then built a house over them, hiding the graves of the overthrown government.

Revival of former greatness

Victor Hugo

Until the beginning of the 19th century, Notre Dame gradually fell into disrepair. The majestic cathedral was decrepit, crumbling, turning into ruins, and the authorities were already thinking about its demolition.

In 1802, Napoleon returned the building to the church, which hastened to reconsecrate it. But in order to awaken in Parisians the desire to save the temple, to awaken a love for their history and architecture, a push was needed. It was Victor Hugo’s novel “Notre Dame de Paris,” where love passions unfold on the pages, published in 1831.

Thanks to the restorer architect Viollet de Duque, the temple not only received new life, and found a fresh face.

First of all, he took care of repairing serious damage to stop further devastation. Then he set about restoring the destroyed statues and sculptural compositions, and did not forget about the spire, which was also demolished during the revolution.

The new needle is 96 m long, made of oak and lined with lead. At the base it is surrounded on four sides by the figures of the apostles, and in front of them are winged tetramorphs: the bull is the symbol of Luke, the lion is Mark, the angel is Matthew, the eagle is John. It is noteworthy that all the statues turned their gaze to Paris, and only St. Thomas, the patron saint of architects, half turned around and examined the spire.

All the work took 23 years, which indicates the catastrophic condition of the temple before the restoration began.

Viollet also proposed demolishing the buildings that at that time were located in close proximity to the cathedral, and now in their place in front of the facade there is a modern square.

Since then, the building has remained in relatively constant condition, only occasionally undergoing forced cosmetic work. It wasn't even damaged during recent wars. At the end of the twentieth century, it was decided to carry out major work to refresh it and restore the original golden hue of the sandstone façade.

And strange animals were born

The idea of ​​planting chimeras at the foot of the towers was a very successful one. They have become not only an exotic decoration, but also a disguise for the drainage pipe system, which prevents moisture from accumulating on the roof, causing mold to appear and gradually undermining the masonry.

Here you can distinguish animals, dragons, gargoyles, demons, other fantastic creatures and people. All the gargoyles carefully peer into the distance, turning their heads to the west, waiting for the sun to hide behind the horizon, the time of the children of the night will come, and then they will come to life.

In the meantime, the animals froze in an expectant pose with an expression of impatience on their faces, like inexorable guardians of morality in search of manifestations of sin. These otherworldly inhabitants of Notre-Dame de Paris give the famous temple a special charisma. If you want to look them in the eyes, they will take you up in a lift for a fee.

Exterior decoration of the cathedral

Being nearby, you want to look at it in all its details, never tired of being amazed at the skill of the architects who managed to achieve an amazing result in the harmony of images and completeness of forms.

The main entrance has three pointed gates, illustrated with displays from the Gospel. The central one tells the story of the Last Judgment with the main judge - Jesus Christ. On the sides of the arch there are seven statues lined up, below are the dead who have risen from their tombs, awakened by the forges of angels.

Among the awakened dead you can see women, warriors, one pope and a king. Such a motley company makes it clear that all of us, regardless of status, will appear before the highest justice and will equally answer for our earthly deeds.

The right entrance is decorated with a statue of the Blessed Virgin and Child, while the left is given to the Virgin Mary and includes images of the symbols of the zodiac, as well as a scene when a crown is placed on the head of the Virgin Mary.

Immediately above the three portals are 28 crowned statues - the very kings who were overthrown from their pedestals during the revolution, and which Viollet de Duc later restored.

Above, a large western compass rose bloomed. She is the only one that has retained partial authenticity. It has two circles with stained-glass petals (the small one has 12 petals, the big one has 24), enclosed in a square, which symbolizes the unity of divine infinity and the material world of people.

The cathedral rose was first decorated with stained glass windows in 1230, and they tell about the eternal struggle between vices and virtue. It also includes zodiac symbols and scenes of peasants at work, and in the center is a figure of the Mother of God and Child.
In addition to the central rose, with a diameter of 9.5 m, the other two, 13 m each, decorate the facades on the south and north, considered the largest in Europe.

Taking a closer look at the towers at the main entrance, you will notice that the northern one, which is closer to the Seine, looks more massive than its southern neighbor. This is because it was the only place where bells rang until the 15th century. If the main alarm sounds on rare occasions, then the others announce the time at 8 and 19 hours.

Each bell has its own personality, differing own name, tonality and weight. “Angelique Françoise” is a heavy lady, weighing 1765 kg and with a C-sharp voice. Less textured, but also inspiring respect is “Antoinette Charlotte” at 1158 kg, sounding in D sharp. Behind her comes “Hyacinth Jeanne,” who weighs only 813 kg and sings with the note F. And finally, the smallest bell is “Denis David”, which weighs no more than 670 kg and chimes like an F-sharp.

Inside the sanctum sanctorum

About luxury interior decoration You can talk about the temple for hours, but it’s much more pleasant to plunge into this splendor in person. While anticipating sightseeing, take a look at the Notre Dame Cathedral in the photo and feel its solemn atmosphere.

It is impossible not to mention the impression when the hall is bathed in the daytime rays of the sun, refracted through numerous stained glass windows, making the lighting look futuristic, magical, unearthly and mysterious, playing with multi-colored reflections.

There are a total of 110 windows in the cathedral, all covered in stained glass with a biblical theme. True, not many survived, since merciless time and people destroyed most of them in different times, and copies were installed in their place in the middle of the 19th century.

However, some glass panels managed to survive to this day. They are unique in that, due to the imperfection of glass manufacturing technology of that time, they look more massive, uneven, and contain random inclusions and balls of air. But the previous masters were able to turn even these flaws into advantages, making the paintings in these places sparkle and play with tints of light and color.

Inside the temple, the wind roses look even more amazing, and even mysterious, thanks to the light penetrating through their stained glass windows. The lower part of the central flower is covered by an impressively sized organ, but the side ones are visible in all their splendor.

The organ has always been present at Notre Dame, but for the first time in 1402 it became truly large. At first they did it simply - the old instrument was placed in a newer Gothic shell. To maintain the sound and appearance at the proper level, it has been tuned and rebuilt many times throughout history. Modern civilization has not ignored it either - in 1992, the copper cable was replaced with optical cable, and the control principle was made computerized.

You will spend more than one hour in the temple, paying attention to paintings, sculptures, bas-reliefs, ornaments, stained glass windows, chandeliers, columns. Not a single detail can be ignored, because each one is an integral part of a unique ensemble, part of biblical and secular history.

Photo gallery of stained glass windows of Notre Dame de Paris

1 of 12

Time seems to flow differently inside. It’s like you’re going through a time loop and plunging into a completely different reality. Sit down on a bench, let yourself be amazed by the unique, luxurious interior, and then close your eyes and absorb the solemn sounds of the organ and enjoy the aroma of candles.

But you will feel the edge of centuries especially vividly when you leave the walls of the cathedral, and you will not be able to resist the temptation to return to the peaceful atmosphere.

You should also go down to the treasury, which stores unique items and is located under the square in front of the cathedral. Of particular pride is the sacred artifact - crown of thorns The Savior, who in 1239 was given to the temple by the monarch Louis IX, having bought it from the Byzantine emperor.

A bright mark in life and culture

For many centuries, Notre Dame Cathedral has inspired, united and gathered people from different eras under its arches. Knights came here to pray before Crusade; here they crowned, crowned and buried kings; members of the first parliament of France gathered within its walls; Here they celebrated the victory over the fascist troops.

For the preservation and resurrection of such a beautiful architectural monument, we must thank, among other things, Victor Hugo, because with his great work he was able to reach the Parisians. Today this majestic structure inspires contemporary writers, filmmakers and authors computer games to its own variations of events, with treacherous enemies and brave heroes revealing age-old secrets and riddles.

Notre Dame Cathedral on the map

The novel “Notre Dame de Paris,” created on the verge of sentimentalism and romanticism, combines the characteristics of a historical epic, a romantic drama and a deeply psychological novel.

The history of the novel

Notre Dame de Paris is the first historical novel French(the action, according to the author, takes place about 400 years ago, at the end of the 15th century). Victor Hugo began to hatch his plan back in the 1820s, and published it in March 1831. The prerequisites for the creation of the novel were the rising interest in historical literature and in particular to the Middle Ages.

In the literature of France of that time, romanticism began to take shape, and with it romantic trends in cultural life in general. Thus, Victor Hugo personally defended the need to preserve ancient architectural monuments, which many wanted to either demolish or rebuild.

There is an opinion that it was after the novel “Notre Dame Cathedral” that supporters of the demolition of the cathedral retreated, and an incredible interest in cultural monuments and a wave of civic consciousness in the desire to protect ancient architecture.

Characteristics of the main characters

It is precisely this reaction of society to the book that gives the right to say that the cathedral is a genuine main character novel, along with people. This is the main place of events, a silent witness to the dramas, love, life and death of the main characters; a place that, against the backdrop of transience human lives remains just as motionless and unshakable.

The main characters in human form are the gypsy Esmeralda, the hunchback Quasimodo, the priest Claude Frollo, the military man Phoebus de Chateaupert, and the poet Pierre Gringoire.

Esmeralda unites the rest of the main characters around her: all of the men listed are in love with her, but some - disinterestedly, like Quasimodo, others fiercely, like Frollo, Phoebus and Gringoire - experiencing carnal attraction; The gypsy herself loves Phoebus. In addition, all the characters are connected by the Cathedral: Frollo serves here, Quasimodo works as a bell-ringer, Gringoire becomes a priest's student. Esmeralda usually speaks in front of the cathedral square, and Phoebus looks out the windows of his future wife Fleur-de-Lys, who lives near the Cathedral.

Esmeralda is a serene child of the streets, unaware of her attractiveness. She dances and performs in front of the Cathedral with her goat, and everyone around her, from the priest to the street thieves, gives her their hearts, worshiping her like a deity. With the same childish spontaneity with which a child reaches for shiny objects, Esmeralda gives her preference to Phoebus, the noble, brilliant chevalier.

The external beauty of Phoebus (coincides with the name of Apollo) is the only positive trait an internally ugly military man. A deceitful and dirty seducer, a coward, a lover of drink and foul language, he is a hero only before the weak, and a gentleman only before the ladies.

Pierre Gringoire, a local poet who was forced by circumstances to plunge into the thick of the street French life, is a little like Phoebus in that his feelings for Esmeralda are physical attraction. True, he is not capable of meanness, and loves in the gypsy both a friend and a person, putting aside her feminine charm.

The most sincere love for Esmeralda is nourished by the most scary creature- Quasimodo, the bell ringer in the Cathedral, who was once picked up by the archdeacon of the temple, Claude Frollo. For Esmeralda, Quasimodo is ready to do anything, even love her quietly and secretly from everyone, even give the girl to his rival.

Claude Frollo has the most complex feelings for the gypsy. Love for a gypsy is a special tragedy for him, because this is a forbidden passion for him as a clergyman. Passion finds no way out, so he either appeals to her love, then pushes her away, then attacks her, then saves her from death, and finally, he himself hands the gypsy to the executioner. Frollo's tragedy is determined not only by the collapse of his love. He turns out to be a representative of the passing time and feels that he is becoming obsolete along with the era: a person receives more and more knowledge, moves away from religion, builds something new, destroys the old. Frollo holds the first one in his hands printed book and understands how he disappears without a trace into the centuries along with handwritten volumes.

Plot, composition, problems of the work

The novel takes place in the 1480s. All the actions of the novel take place around the Cathedral - in the “City”, on Cathedral and Grevskaya squares, in the “Court of Miracles”.

A religious performance is given in front of the Cathedral (the author of the mystery is Gringoire), but the crowd prefers to watch Esmeralda dance on the Place de Greve. Looking at the gypsy, Gringoire, Quasimodo, and Frollo’s father simultaneously fall in love with her. Phoebus meets Esmeralda when she is invited to entertain a group of girls, including Phoebe's fiancée, Fleur de Lys. Phoebus makes an appointment with Esmeralda, but the priest also comes to the date. Out of jealousy, the priest wounds Phoebus, and Esmeralda is blamed for this. Under torture, the girl confesses to witchcraft, prostitution and the murder of Phoebus (who actually survived) and is sentenced to hang. Claude Frollo comes to her in prison and persuades her to escape with him. On the day of the execution, Phoebus watches the execution of the sentence with his bride. But Quasimodo does not allow the execution to take place - he grabs the gypsy woman and runs to hide in the Cathedral.

The entire “Court of Miracles” - a haven for thieves and beggars - rushes to “free” their beloved Esmeralda. The king learned about the riot and ordered the gypsy to be executed at all costs. When she is executed, Claude laughs a devilish laugh. Seeing this, the hunchback rushes at the priest, and he breaks, falling from the tower.

Compositionally, the novel is looped: at first the reader sees the word “rock” inscribed on the wall of the Cathedral, and is immersed in the past 400 years; at the end, he sees two skeletons in a crypt outside the city, intertwined in an embrace. These are the heroes of the novel - the hunchback and the gypsy. Time has erased their history into dust, and the Cathedral still stands as an indifferent observer above human passions.

The novel depicts both private human passions (the problem of purity and meanness, mercy and cruelty) and popular ones (wealth and poverty, separation of power from the people). For the first time in European literature, the personal drama of characters develops against the backdrop of detailed historical events, And privacy and historical background are so interpenetrating.