The ancient, iconic religious complex features in many works of literature, not least of which is Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, Notre-Dame de Paris (or, as it is better known in the English-speaking world, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, the title given to its 1833 translation into English). Could the glass be telling a story? (Note: due to rules prohibiting group lectures in the upper part of the chapel, we will do most of our structured discussion of Sainte-Chapelle from the exterior before entering the interior spaces.) From here we’ll make a quick stop at the Conciergerie to visit the residence of France's early royal family that later became an infamous prison during the Revolution.Much of the world mourned as Notre-Dame, the cathedral in the centre of Paris which has over its 800 year history become a centre of French culture and identity, burned last week. Built to house holy relics, Sainte-Chapelle's extraordinary stained glass windows offer an excellent opportunity to learn how stained glass was made and what purpose it served in the Gothic era. We’ll then move to Sainte-Chapelle, a masterpiece of Gothic art. From the outside only, we’ll admire the splendor of our Lady of Paris and its gargoyle friends (due to a recent fire the interior of the Notre Dame Cathedral is not opened to the public).
Here, we’ll study the ribbed vaults and the church’s double aisles which will help us understand the interior of Notre Dame, our next stop. We’ll start with the majestic Église Saint-Séverin, house of the oldest bell in Paris. As we explore the medieval maze of winding streets in the Latin Quarter we’ll discuss the birth of the Gothic and set the stage for our walk. Why are the gargoyles so spooky? Why are they there? Was there really a hunchback of Notre Dame? Our young visitors will discover hidden architectural treasures, unravel history’s mysteries and gaze at the oddest Gothic features.
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