The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris is a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture. Construction began in 1163 and took nearly 200 years to complete. It was one of the first buildings in the world to use flying buttresses—exterior arched supports that allowed architects to build much higher walls and include massive stained-glass windows, such as the famous Rose Windows. These buttresses were not part of the original design but were added to support the thin walls as they began to push outward under the weight of the roof. The cathedral is also famous for its gargoyles and chimeras, which serve both as decorative elements and as water spouts to protect the stone walls from rain. Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, 'The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,' played a major role in saving the building from neglect, leading to a massive 19th-century restoration. Its survival and current reconstruction following the 2019 fire continue to symbolize the resilience of art and history.