Publisher's Synopsis
"Even as it has evolved over the course of many centuries, Notre-Dame Cathedral has persisted as a touchstone for Parisians and Christians everywhere, and as an emblem of Frenchness throughout the nation's history. Its periods of construction, destruction, neglect, and restoration are all outlined here in approachable terms. The decisive mid-19th century restoration of the building by architects E.E. Viollet-le-Duc and J.-B. Lassus, which gave the building its signature spire, is shown to have contributed to Notre-Dame much of its familiar medieval form, tragically damaged in the fire of April 15, 2019"--.