Notre-Dame reopens 8 Dec 2024

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. 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

Birthplace of the Renaissance
8 Dec 2023La Rocque Harbour, Jersey
8 Dec 2025Christmas lights on buildings of Domaso, Lake Como, Italy

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Looking sharp
Sep 5, 2023Mount Segla, Senja Island, Norway
3 May 2025Happy International Astronomy Day!
20 Nov 2024Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada
16 Mar 2025Baby giant panda in China
2 Jan 2025Ardez village, Graubunden, Switzerland
14 May 2024Carlsbad Caverns National Park
2 Feb 2025Alpine marmot
Aug 25, 2023National Park Service anniversary
29 Oct 2023Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, USA
16 Oct 2025Eurasian lynx
18 Aug 2025Avalanche Lake Trail at Adirondack High Peaks, New York, United States
27 Mar 2025World Theatre Day
18 Jul 2025Staghorn coral in shallow ocean
10 Dec 2023Sand dunes in the Sahara, Algeria
4 Dec 2023International Cheetah Day
14 Nov 2023Russell lupines, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
Taking the long view
7 Oct 2025Autumn colours below Mount Sneffels near Ridgway, Colorado, United States
12 Mar 2024Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
A kiss and a sigh
6 Apr 2025Gaztelugatxe islet, Basque Country, Spain
1 Feb 2024Sassnitz lighthouse, Rügen, Germany
28 Sep 2023World Maritime Day
31 Dec 2024Hogmanay
Happy St Andrews Day!
27 Jun 2024Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy
19 Sep 2025Thousand Islands region, St Lawrence River, USA-Canada border
10 Jul 2024Collared aracari
Pick your paradise