Fodor's Expert Review Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Looming above Place du Parvis, this Gothic sanctuary is the symbolic heart of Paris and, for many, of France itself, now more than ever. A heartbreaking 2019 fire almost destroyed the entire cathedral. The roof was devastated, and the 300-foot spire collapsed, but after the fire was extinguished, the building was deemed structurally sound, and most of its priceless relics and articles survived, including the famed rose windows, the crown of thorns said to have been worn by Jesus Christ, the 800-year-old organ, and numerous pieces of classic artwork. Many of these items sustained some damage, and restoration work for these and for the whole of the cathedral is expected to last several years—a projected partial reopening is expected to coincide with the opening of the Paris Olympic Games in July 2024. While visitors will not be able to go inside until then, the towers outside still stand as testaments to the power, history, and meaning of Notre-Dame. Napoléon was crowned here, and kings and queens exchanged marriage vows before its altar. Begun in 1163, completed in 1345, badly damaged during the Revolution, and restored in the 19th century by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, Notre-Dame may not be the country’s oldest or largest cathedral, but in beauty and architectural harmony it has few peers.