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The news on the 16th April 2019 of the Notre Dame going up in flames was at first a shock followed by some pensive moments. It brought back memories of the many afternoons and evenings I had spent at this magnificent monument.

Memories from the yesteryears

It was the first port of call on my first weekend in Paris, way back in the summer of 2004. The first sight of the unusual rectangular bell towers could be seen from a long way off as we made our way along the left bank Seine. We preferred to walk all the way, soaking in the sights and the sounds of this picturesque and historical city. Saint-Michel happens to be one of the nearest RER and metro stations for reaching the Notre Dame. The other one is the metro station near Hotel de Ville on the other side of the Seine. We left the Place Saint-Michel neighbourhood, also a popular place to satisfy gastronomic aspirations, on our right to be explored on another day and walked straight towards Notre Dame.

Notre Dame by night

The Structure of Notre Dame

The structure of Notre Dame in itself is neither huge nor expansive, but there is something strangely alluring about this uniquely Gothic cathedral located in the heart of Paris. A circular iron slab implanted in front of the monument reads “Point Zero des routes de France“, the Point Zero for all of France. It says a lot about the place of pride this monument commands.

The cathedral inside impresses visitors with its giant organ and the huge colourful stained windows. There are niches on the wall all around with religious figures and statues and in one there is a plaque which declares that the cathedral construction started in the year 1163.

Construction of the

Notre Dame de Paris started in the year 1163

The Location

Notre Dame stands on the Île de la Cité in the 4th arrondissement. It is the westernmost of the two river islands on the Seine. The front doors of the Notre Dame with the bell towers face west with the southern bank being called the Left Bank, or “La Rive Gauche”. The northern bank is the “La Rive Droit” or the Right Bank. On the left of the cathedral, under a big tree, stands the statue of Charlemagne, seated on his horse and looking in command with a long spear in his hand.

The courtyard in front of the Notre Dame with the statue of Charlemagne on the left﻿

The Surroundings

The front expanse of the Notre Dame is forever milling with tourists and musicians and is always a beehive of activity. Many an evening have I spent just sitting in front of the cathedral, just being there, watching not only the hordes of tourists queue up to enter the place and having their pictures taken in different poses, but also soak in the life around. Sitting on one of the seats once I saw a group of three young girls playing on their violin with music so intense that a few tourists could not help but start to dance.

The Sparrow Feeder

In the neatly manicured bushes around, many a time I have been mesmerised by the sight of a man feeding sparrows among the bushes. He would extend his arms and the sparrows would sit on his hand and eat the bread crumbs he held. At times, they would hover near his face to peck at the crumbs he held on his lips. Sometimes, adults and children would join in. And the sparrows would oblige, safe near their guardian. Some would choose to sit by themselves on a bench and feed the pigeons. Strangely, I never found the place overrun by bird droppings.

Pigeon feeders

Near the doors of the cathedral, on the left side, within the gated fence, I would watch a small troupe of actors enact The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In front of the garden on the left, named “Square Jean XXIII” would sit a musician, or two, playing their most melodious pieces. They knew the pulse of the tourists. The small bridge over the Seine connecting the left bank, “Pont au Double”, would be occupied by expert skaters showing off their most intricate manoeuvres.

Around Notre Dame

The Square Jean XXIII in the spring

Walking towards the back of the Notre Dame with the Seine to my right, during the spring and the summers, quite often I would find myself among the brightly coloured tulips and myriads of other blooming plants in beautiful flower beds among the verdant lawns of the Square Jean XXIII. The same place would look starkly gray in the winter evenings when the lights from the passing cruise boats would cast their pale white light on the leafless branches of the trees along the bank.

Flower beds in the Spring

At the Back of Notre Dame

The area at the back of the cathedral would look entirely different from the crowded front. The view of the Apse of the Notre Dame is not the most popular view unlike the view of the characteristic view of the Bell Towers. The garden benches would be occupied mostly by locals rather than tourists. On wintry rainy days, it would be totally deserted in stark contrast to the front where the tourists would still come in busloads and queue up in their jackets and umbrellas.

Back view from quai de

l’Archevêché

Atop the Notre Dame

It was one rainy Sunday that I decided to pay a visit to the top of the cathedral. Having toured the surroundings innumerable times, I paid the entrance fees for the climb to the roof. I had to spend some time in the slow-moving queue. The staircase was steep through a cloistered tower which opened into a hallway midway into a souvenir shop so usual in many monuments. A small doorway on one side led to a further flight of stairs till I reached the top. The roof made me realise the enormity and complexity of the structure most of which is hidden from the ground below.

The View of Paris

The view was breath-taking. I could see the Eiffel Tower, the Montparnasse, and the Montmartre or the Sacré Coeur far away. The golden dome of Les Invalides could not be missed.

Stryga

But the most interesting was to see the Gargoyles and the Chimera from close quarters. The gargoyles are just the grotesquely decorated drain-spouts while the chimera are the equally grotesque mythical creatures that just sit there. Stryga, the most famous of the chimera sat there with its face in its hands looking down at the world below and the Eiffel Tower far away.

Stryga

Crepes on a Rainy Day

It had started raining soon after and the view soon disappeared in the rain and mist. I had to retreat downstairs. Umbrella in hand, while I was walking past the numerous souvenir shops on the Rue d’Arcole on the right side of the monument, the smell of the freshly made crêpes from the eateries wafted in and added to the hunger. Like on numerous other occasions, I helped myself to my personal favourite of chocolate and honey

crêpes .

The eastward view looking upstream along the Seine

Today, sitting thousands of miles away, as I watch the church tower in flames and see it collapse on my TV screen, it saddens the heart. But then such is the nature of life. Though the bricks and stones can collapse and wither away, life goes on. I am sure in the coming years the structure would be rebuilt and restored to its former glory but for millions of people, it is the spirit of the place which would linger on in the memories to be cherished for times to come.

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