Panoramic of Notre Dame at sunset, Paris

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Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris

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While its interior is closed off to visitors following the devastating fire of April 2019, this masterpiece of French Gothic architecture remains the city’s geographic and spiritual heart. Its grand exterior, with its two enduring towers and flying buttresses, is rightly still an alluring attraction to countless visitors.

Transportation

  • metro: Cité

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Point Zéro des Routes de France

0.03 MILES

Distances from Paris to every part of metropolitan France are measured from this bronze star embedded in the paving stones of the vast square in front of…

2. Crypte Archéologique

0.09 MILES

Beneath the large square in front of the Notre Dame cathedral slumbers an archaeological crypt. The 117m-long and 28m-wide area displays the remains of…

3. Square René Viviani

0.09 MILES

Opened in 1928 on the site of the former graveyard of adjoining church Église St-Julien le Pauvre, this picturesque little park is home to the oldest tree…

4. Pont St-Louis

0.16 MILES

This postcard-perfect bridge connects Île de la Cité and Île St-Louis. Dating from 1969, it is the seventh bridge built on this spot to link the two…

6. Église St-Séverin

0.18 MILES

Extensively renovated in the 15th century, this Gothic church contains one of the oldest bells in Paris, cast in 1412. Also of note are the seven modern…

7. Sainte-Chapelle

0.22 MILES

Visit Sainte-Chapelle on a sunny day when Paris’ oldest, finest stained glass (1242–48) is at its dazzling best. The chapel is famous for its stained…

8. Conciergerie

0.26 MILES

A royal palace in the 14th century, the Conciergerie later became a prison. During the Reign of Terror (1793–94) alleged enemies of the Revolution were…

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