Taylor Family Vacation - May 26, 1998

	The Notre Dame cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece, was begun in 1163 AD, and took 170 years to complete. Across the front and above the three portals, the 28 Kings of Judah are represented.
	We went to the top of the cathedral and were surprised that every gargoyle is a unique sculpture with clearly observable personalities. Here are two of the gargoyles near the south tower (the gargoyles are the two figures on the left).
	Sara stands under the famous Emmanuel bell, housed in the south tower. The Disney hero of recent cinema fame was not observed swinging from the rafters.
	Michael comes down the 387 steps we had to climb to get to the top of Notre Dame. He is near the bottom here, but the pathway gets a lot narrower higher up. Difficult to pass, but well worth the effort.
	In the background is the formal entrance for the Palace of Justice and the Conciergerie. The latter was the prison, much used by the Revolutionary Tribunal to house those who would soon be sent to the guillotine. Marie-Antoinette's cell is here.
	Within the Conciergerie are many interesting displays about the French Revolution, including documents, slide shows, and an alphabetical list of those officially executed. Here, the kids are looking at sketches of the execution platform.
	We've never visited Sainte-Chapelle before. It makes quite an impact upon entry. This is the lower chapel, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The floor is nearly completely covered by tombstones, unfortunately all very worn.
	The upper chapel is a true marvel. Here you see the south end, and can get a feel for the height of the stained glass windows. You can also see the arched beams that support the roof and allow the walls to be almost entirely stained glass.
	In total, there are 7 windows making the curve at the end, and 8 side windows. Each window, through it's sequence of panes, tells a story from scripture. Here's an example of a side window. It depicts 121 scenes from the Book of Kings.
	One last perspective picture of Sainte-Chapelle, overlooked by most visitors because Notre-Dame is nearby, but well worth the extra time to see stained glass that nears the perfection and quantity of Chartres.

	Notre Dame & Sainte-Chapelle
Click on the small picture to see a larger one.	May 26, 1998
Click on the small picture to see a larger one.	Home Page Daily Log