The first stop on this walk was the Hotel de Ville. The Hotel de Ville is the government seat of Paris today, but is better remembered as the place where hundreds were executed when France was under monarchical rule. I love the square in front of the building where you can take a ride on the cool merry-go-round, go ice skating, or pick up a hot crepe and just sit and enjoy the atmosphere with the view of this beautiful, sixteenth century building.
Next stop: a quaint little park with awesome views of the back of Notre Dame and the flying buttresses. Every time I see this cathedral it takes me by surprise. I don't even think three months of seeing it will take away the giddy feeling I get when it pops up around the corner.
Notre Dame was built over the course of more than one hundred years. (1163-1300) However, the cathedral itself has been destroyed and rebuilt a fair number of times. Almost every aspect of the cathedral is from a different century, from the 1163 foundation to the 1965 stained-glass windows.
These pictures of inside Notre Dame do not even come close to giving it justice. It is so beautiful and big and...I can't even describe it. I always feel like I have stepped back in time when I am inside. You feel completely swollowed by the history, and I love to just give myself up to it and wander through without a care in the world.
Next stop: the Crypte du Parvis! At the end of the square in front of Notre Dame is this crypt where you can see some of Paris's oldest layers.
The earliest layers of stone are dated 308 AD. Then layer upon layer was built with dates from the middle ages up to the nineteenth century.
This is why I love history. It is amazing that things like this that are over 2000 years old can even still exist. If only stone could talk...
Just down the street from Notre Dame is the Cour de Cassation. This is France's equivilant to the Supreme Court.
I couldn't help sneaking a picture of this cool clock while we were walking down the street to the Conciergerie. This is the oldest clock in Paris. It has been ticking faithfully since 1370!
Welcome to the Conciergerie! Once a home to the Royals of Paris, it became a prison during the Revolution holding over a thousand prisoners, including Marie-Antoinette.
This is the door to Marie-Antoinette's cell. Again, just being amidst all this history gives my stomach butterflies!
Last stop- Sainte-Chapelle! This chapel was built under the direction of King Louis IX. It was made to house the relics that were brought back from the crusades such as the crown of thorns, the holy nail, and parts of the cross. The relics are no longer in Sainte-Chapelle, but the amazing stained-glass windows upstairs are entirely worth the visit.
The first stop on this walk was the Hotel de Ville. The Hotel de Ville is the government seat of Paris today, but is better remembered as the place where hundreds were executed when France was under monarchical rule. I love the square in front of the building where you can take a ride on the cool merry-go-round, go ice skating, or pick up a hot crepe and just sit and enjoy the atmosphere with the view of this beautiful, sixteenth century building.
Next stop: a quaint little park with awesome views of the back of Notre Dame and the flying buttresses. Every time I see this cathedral it takes me by surprise. I don't even think three months of seeing it will take away the giddy feeling I get when it pops up around the corner.
Notre Dame was built over the course of more than one hundred years. (1163-1300) However, the cathedral itself has been destroyed and rebuilt a fair number of times. Almost every aspect of the cathedral is from a different century, from the 1163 foundation to the 1965 stained-glass windows.
These pictures of inside Notre Dame do not even come close to giving it justice. It is so beautiful and big and...I can't even describe it. I always feel like I have stepped back in time when I am inside. You feel completely swollowed by the history, and I love to just give myself up to it and wander through without a care in the world.
Next stop: the Crypte du Parvis! At the end of the square in front of Notre Dame is this crypt where you can see some of Paris's oldest layers.
The earliest layers of stone are dated 308 AD. Then layer upon layer was built with dates from the middle ages up to the nineteenth century. 
This is why I love history. It is amazing that things like this that are over 2000 years old can even still exist. If only stone could talk...
Just down the street from Notre Dame is the Cour de Cassation. This is France's equivilant to the Supreme Court. 
I couldn't help sneaking a picture of this cool clock while we were walking down the street to the Conciergerie. This is the oldest clock in Paris. It has been ticking faithfully since 1370!
Welcome to the Conciergerie! Once a home to the Royals of Paris, it became a prison during the Revolution holding over a thousand prisoners, including Marie-Antoinette. 
This is the door to Marie-Antoinette's cell. Again, just being amidst all this history gives my stomach butterflies!
Last stop- Sainte-Chapelle! This chapel was built under the direction of King Louis IX. It was made to house the relics that were brought back from the crusades such as the crown of thorns, the holy nail, and parts of the cross. The relics are no longer in Sainte-Chapelle, but the amazing stained-glass windows upstairs are entirely worth the visit.
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