The Construction of Notre-Dame in Paris

Abstract

The chronology of construction at Notre-Dame in Paris has not been reconsidered since Marcel Aubert's monograph published early in this century. As the result of systematic measurements taken throughout the monument (including the upper levels of the interior), a revision of Aubert's building sequence is now possible. In particular, there is substantial evidence that the choir elevation was modified during construction; this modification probably included the addition of flying buttresses. The nave was begun while construction of the choir was still at the level of the tribunes, and the nave structure was designed from the outset in relation to the flying buttress. The upper levels of the north side of the nave were constructed before those on the south. Changes in moldings and other details in combination with larger modifications of the elevation permit the identification of five master masons between the inception of the work in ca. 1160 and the completion of the main body of the cathedral in ca. 1245.