We were all supposed to head out bright and early but the Crowes texted us letting us know that they had had a rough night and they'd meet up with us later. So, it was just me and David, hitting the streets of Paris early Saturday morning, heading back towards Notre Dame to go up to the towers. On the way there we passed the Church of Saint-Severin.
The Church of Saint-Severin is one of the oldest churches that remains standing on the Left Bank and it continues to be a place of worship. Severin of Paris was a devout hermit that lived on the banks of the Seine River during the fifth century. The oratory which was built over his tomb became the site of a small church which was built around the eleventh century and was eventually enlarged over the years to accommodate growing congregations.
After the church was seriously damaged by fire in 1448, the church was rebuilt in the late-Gothic style with the typical gargoyles and flying buttresses.
Its bells include the oldest one remaining in Paris, cast in 1412.
Good morning, you awesome gargoyles!
We didn't spend much time there because one, it wasn't open, and second, we had to get to our destination of the morning - the towers of Notre Dame! We're back!
We wanted to get there early enough to score a good place in line, which we did. Unfortunately we ended up behind a situation that was unsavory to say the least and left me feeling a little helpless; we just didn't know how to handle it. Thank goodness the towers soon opened and we were on our way up!
And up and up...
and up and up. There were like a gazillion steps (387 to be exact)!
But what awaited us was well worth every muscle-burning step!
And the gargoyles...I'm in love!
We spent a lot of time wandering around the Galerie des Chimeres which is the balcony of gargoyles between the two towers.
The views all around us were absolutely breathtaking! And unlike America, where there's a tour guide who leads you around and never gives you enough time to savor what you are seeing or experiencing, the French just leave you to your own devices. David and I could have stayed up there all day if we had wanted to. Being able to take our time, soak in the sights, and gaze in awe at Paris from the heights of Notre Dame made the experience even sweeter.
The Bell Tower and those wooden stairs...
and the Emmanuel Bell.
Feeling a bit like Quasimodo.
More of my favorites! I just could not get enough of those gargoyles!
From this graceful stork...
to this guy gnawing on a stick.
Everything was simply spectacular!
This was definitely one of the most delightful things we did on our trip!
My favorite picture of the morning!
I absolutely could not be at Notre Dame and NOT grab another banana/nutella crepe. Simply divine!
We weren't sure what to do after the towers. We had already planned out our week with the Crowes so we didn't want to go somewhere that we were supposed to visit with them so we just started wandering the streets.
We passed by the Sorbonne,
and found ourselves near the Pantheon. Since we didn't have that on the itinerary for the week, we decided to check it out.
The Pantheon was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve and a place to house her relics but, after many changes, it now functions as a secular mausoleum containing the remains of distinguished French citizens.
The Pediment of the Pantheon with the motto: "To the great men, the grateful homeland."
The overall design is that of a Greek cross with a massive portico of Corinthian columns.
The architect's masterstroke is the triple dome, each shell fitted within the others, permits a view throught the oculus of the coffered inner dome of the second dome, frescoed with "The Apotheosis of Saint Genevieve".
The interior dome of the Pantheon.
The massive Corinthian columns...
rich in detail.
The paintings were beautiful and depict scenes from French history.
Almost all of the paintings on the walls are religious in nature with entire walls reserved for particular saints. The Joan of Arc Wall...
Saint Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris...
and Saint Louis.
Even Charlemagne has a wall because he was declared a saint...for awhile, at least.
Almost all the sculpture in the Pantheon is secular in nature with prominent themes relating to the Revolution. These sculptures honor French intellectuals, statesmen, orators, and military leaders.
In the back of the Pantheon we found this beautiful sculpture - La Convention Nationale. In the center is Marianne, a personification of liberty and virtue and the symbol of France, with soldiers to her right and members of the National Convention to her left. It was this National Convention who ordered the executions of Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette in 1793.
Even the paintings and frescoes near the domes above us were absolutely stunning.
A tribute to Antoine de Saint-Exupery, the famous French writer, poet, journalist, and pioneering aviator. He is best remembered for his novella The Little Prince. He disappeared over the Mediterranean on a reconnaissance mission in July 1944 and is believed to have died at that time.
In 1851, physicist Leon Foucault demonstrated the rotation of the earth by constructing a 220 ft Foucault pendulum beneath the central dome. A copy of the original pendulum is now displayed here.
After observing all the beautiful paintings and sculptures, we headed down to the crypt, the final resting place of people who are important to France as well as to the whole world. Interment here is severely restricted and is allowed only by a parliamentary act for "National Heroes".
Among those buried are the great philosopher Voltaire...
the brilliant scientists Pierre and Marie Curie...
the philosopher Rousseau...
and writers Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas.
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