Notre-Dame de Paris
Notre-Dame de Paris stands on the Île de la Cité in the Seine, the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Paris, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Construction began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and took nearly two centuries to complete, reaching its present form around 1345. The building blends Early Gothic and Rayonnant Gothic; the rose windows in the north and south transepts are among the largest in Europe. It has witnessed defining moments in French history — Napoleon's coronation in 1804, and the singing of the Magnificat beneath its vaults when Paris was liberated in 1944. On 15 April 2019 a fire destroyed the spire and the roof, the worst structural loss since the cathedral was built; after an extraordinary restoration effort, it reopened in December 2024. Step inside and look for the small corners that millions of visitors have walked past without a second glance.
France · 43 The overlooked corners inside
The overlooked corners inside
Chapel of Saint Denis
The Chapel of Saint Denis is one of the chapels lining the southern ambulatory of Notre-Dame's choir, dedicated to Paris's first bishop and martyr — legend holds that after his beheading he picked up his own head and walked six kilometres before finally falling. Side-aisle chapels in Gothic cathedrals like this one were typically built during the 13th and 14th centuries, each sponsored by a noble family or guild for private masses; they also became burial places for bishops and senior clergy. This chapel contains the tomb of Denis-Auguste Affre, Archbishop of Paris, who was shot while trying to mediate during the June 1848 uprising — the last archbishop in French modern history to die in the line of duty.
Sources: wikidata.org · claudinehemingway.com
South Rose Window
Look up at the far end of the south transept: almost the entire wall is consumed by an enormous rose window. Together with the one to the north, it ranks among the largest rose windows in Europe. The South Rose Window was built around 1250 in the Rayonnant Gothic style, its surface entirely filled with stained glass that floods the stone interior with shifting colour. If its tracery looks unusually upright, that is no accident — the window was physically rotated.
Sources: fr.wikipedia.org
Spire of Notre-Dame
Stand at the crossing — directly beneath where the nave and transepts meet — and look up: the spire rises from the centre of the roof. It was not always there. Notre-Dame has had three spires in its history. The medieval spire of the 13th century was dismantled in the late 18th century after centuries of weathering. The second, designed by Viollet-le-Duc and completed in August 1859, collapsed during the fire of April 2019 that consumed the attic. The spire you see today is the rebuilt version, reconstructed to the original design and re-erected in late 2023.
Sources: fr.wikipedia.org
Chapel of Saint Louis
Dedicated to Louis IX (Saint Louis, King of France), this is the fifth chapel of the apse ambulatory, designed by architect Germain Boffrand and commissioned by Cardinal de Noailles; it serves as the burial chapel of eighteen members of the Noailles family. High on the left wall are three statues of martyred saints — Denis, Rusticus, and Eleutherius — carved by Claude-Anthime Corbon around 1864. The wall paintings were executed to designs by Viollet-le-Duc, their subject the royal holy women of medieval France.
Sources: wikidata.org · claudinehemingway.com
Chapel of Saint Germain
Dedicated to Germain of Paris, bishop of the city from 555 to 576, this chapel sits in the choir ambulatory. Germain was one of the most influential churchmen of 6th-century France and the founder of what became the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. In keeping with Notre-Dame's 19th-century restoration scheme, ambulatory chapels of this type were fitted with stained-glass windows commissioned as part of Viollet-le-Duc's programme, depicting scenes from the life of each chapel's patron saint.
Sources: wikidata.org · claudinehemingway.com
Chapel of Saint Ferdinand
The Chapel of Saint Ferdinand occupies a bay on the north side of the choir ambulatory, on… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Saint Marcel
The Chapel of Saint Marcel is dedicated to the ninth Bishop of Paris, Marcel (died c. 436)… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: claudinehemingway.com
Chapel of Saint George
The Chapel of Saint George is one of the smaller chapels in the choir ambulatory, sharing… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows
This chapel is dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary — a devotion widely vener… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene
The Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene is dedicated to Mary Magdalene — the first person in th… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Saint Guillaume
The Chapel of Saint Guillaume occupies a bay on the south aisle of the nave, one of seven… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org · claudinehemingway.com
Baptismal Chapel
The first chapel on the north aisle entering the nave is presently dedicated to Noah and h… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: claudinehemingway.com · friendsofnotredamedeparis.org
Chapel of Saint Charles
The Chapel of Saint Charles sits in the choir ambulatory as part of Notre-Dame's 13th-cent… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of the Holy Childhood
The Chapel of the Holy Childhood (Sainte-Enfance) is dedicated to devotion to the Christ C… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe is dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe — the most ven… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Saint Landry
The Chapel of Saint Landry is dedicated to the Bishop of Paris of the same name (in office… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Saint Clotilde
The Chapel of Saint Clotilde is dedicated to Queen Clotilde (c. 474–545) — a princess of B… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org · claudinehemingway.com
Chapel of Saint Martin
The Chapel of Saint Martin is dedicated to Martin of Tours (c. 316–397), celebrated for th… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Saint Eligius
The Chapel of Saint Eligius (Éloi) is dedicated to Eligius of Noyon (c. 588–660), bishop a… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Saint Joseph
The Chapel of Saint Joseph is the first chapel on the south aisle of the nave, dedicated t… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: claudinehemingway.com
Chapel of Saint Peter
The Chapel of Saint Peter sits in the choir ambulatory, dedicated to the Prince of the Apo… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Saint Anne
The Chapel of Saint Anne sits in the choir ambulatory, dedicated to the Virgin Mary's moth… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org · friendsofnotredamedeparis.org
Chapel of Saint Vincent de Paul
The Chapel of Saint Vincent de Paul is dedicated to the 17th-century apostle of charity, V… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org · claudinehemingway.com
Chapel of Saint Francis Xavier
The Chapel of Saint Francis Xavier is dedicated to the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier (1… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org
Chapel of Saint Geneviève
The Chapel of Saint Geneviève is dedicated to the patron saint of Paris, Geneviève (c. 422… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: claudinehemingway.com · fr.wikipedia.org
Sacristy
The Neo-Gothic building hugging Notre-Dame's south flank, accessed from beside the choir… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: fr.wikipedia.org
Portal of the Last Judgment
The central doorway of the west facade is the Portal of the Last Judgment, the latest of t… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: fr.wikipedia.org
Portal of the Virgin
The left (south) doorway of the west facade is the Portal of the Virgin, the last of the t… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org · friendsofnotredamedeparis.org
Choir Screen
Notre-Dame has had three choir screens over its history, and each has been demolished in t… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: fr.wikipedia.org
Notre-Dame Presbytery
The Neo-Gothic building directly south of the cathedral, facing the Cloître Notre-Dame, is… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: wikidata.org · franceinfo.fr
Towers of Notre-Dame
Notre-Dame's twin towers were not built simultaneously: the South Tower (Tour Sud) was com… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · paris-notredame.com
Treasury of Notre-Dame
The Treasury (Trésor) holds the cathedral's most sacred objects, chief among them the Crow… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: notredamedeparis.fr · eutouring.com
West Rose Window
The great circular window centred above the three west portals is the West Rose Window (Ro… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: broaden-horizons.fr · differentvisions.org
Gallery of Kings
Running the full width of the west facade just above the portals, the Gallery of Kings hol… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: unjourdeplusaparis.com · musee-moyenage.fr
North Rose Window
The North Rose Window (Rosace Nord), at the far end of the north transept, was built betwe… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: broaden-horizons.fr
South Tower
The South Tower (Tour Sud) was the first of the two to be finished, around 1220–1240, reac… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · paris-notredame.com
North Tower
The North Tower (Tour Nord) was completed slightly later than its southern counterpart, ar… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · paris-notredame.com
Notre-Dame Cathedral
On 7 December 2024, after more than five years of restoration, Notre-Dame reopened to the… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Portal of the Last Judgment
The central doorway of the west facade, the Portal of the Last Judgment (Portail du Jugeme… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: fr.wikipedia.org · pilgrimtothepast.com
Portal of the Virgin
The south doorway of the west facade, the Portal of the Virgin (Portail de la Vierge), dat… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: friendsofnotredamedeparis.org · wikidata.org
Portal of Saint Anne
The north doorway of the west facade, the Portal of Saint Anne (Portail Sainte-Anne), is t… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: friendsofnotredamedeparis.org · digital.kenyon.edu
Gallery of the Virgin
The Gallery of the Virgin (Galerie de la Vierge) is the row of small decorative arcaded ba… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: friendsofnotredamedeparis.org · thingstodoinparis.com
Red Door
Set into the third bay of the north choir wall is a low, red-painted side door known as th… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: friendsofnotredamedeparis.org · journals.uchicago.edu
FAQ
What overlooked corners are worth seeing inside Notre-Dame de Paris?
Chapel of Saint Denis, South Rose Window, Spire of Notre-Dame and more — 43 spots in all, each with sources and a guide in your language to read or listen to on the spot.
Is the Notre-Dame de Paris guide free?
The first 5 spots are free to read; the other 38 unlock with a one-time purchase (not a subscription).