Notre Dame Cathedral: free entry, but tower tickets online only

Notre-Dame de Paris is welcoming visitors again after its restoration. Entry to the cathedral is free, while tickets for the towers are sold online only.

This guide is for anyone planning a day on the Île de la Cité. An adult tower ticket costs €16 (as of 09/2026, official towers website), and entry to the cathedral costs nothing. Below you will find opening hours, directions, and the key points of the cathedral's history.

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💡 In short:

• Entry to the cathedral is free.
• Tower tickets are sold online only; an adult ticket costs €16 (as of 09/2026).
• Arrive at opening time: lines are shorter and the light in the stained glass is brighter.

Construction history

Construction began in 1163 under King Louis VII, initiated by Bishop Maurice de Sully. Beneath the new church lie the foundations of older structures: a Romanesque cathedral, a Carolingian church, and an early Christian church. Scholars link them to the basilica of Saint Stephen.

© Jorge Láscar from Melbourne, Australia · CC BYPhoto: Jorge Láscar from Melbourne, Australia, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

The work took nearly two centuries. The first architects were Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil. The walls were finished by 1177, the altar was consecrated in 1182, and the lead roof was laid by the end of the 12th century. The towers were raised by 1245, the interior decoration was completed by 1315, and the entire construction was wrapped up in 1345. Money was short, and parishioners donated what they could (according to the official cathedral website, 09/2026).

Major restorations were not carried out for a long time, and the building fell into disrepair. The cathedral suffered especially badly during the French Revolution. The statues of the kings of Judah were taken down and beheaded, the stained glass was smashed, and the carvings were damaged. The Convention demanded money for the needs of the revolution under threat of demolishing the church. The cathedral was called a bastion of obscurantism and renamed the Temple of Reason. In 1802 the building was returned to the Catholic Church and reconsecrated.

The heads of the kings were found only at the end of the 20th century: they had been bought and respectfully buried by a former owner of one of the Parisian houses. In the 19th century, the architect Viollet-le-Duc took on the restoration. He brought back the stained glass and sculptures, installed a new spire, and added the chimera figures.

Exterior

The cathedral was built over nearly two hundred years, so it blends Romanesque and Gothic styles. It is a basilica with double side aisles, a rare layout for its time. The church is 35 m high, 130 m long, and 48 m wide. The facade is divided into three vertical sections and three horizontal tiers, crowned by two towers.

The first tier has three portals: the Virgin Mary, Saint Anne, and the Last Judgment. Above the entrance is a panel with Gospel scenes, and above the arches stand statues of saints. Higher up runs the Gallery of Kings with 28 figures of the kings of Judah.

The stained glass was almost entirely recreated in the 19th century. The main rose window has survived since the Middle Ages and was only partially restored. The two side rose windows are considered among the largest in Europe, each 13 m in diameter. Above the crossing rises a spire 96 m high. Around the spire are four groups of apostle statues, each with its own symbol. They all face the city, and only Thomas, the patron saint of builders, is turned toward the spire.

Gargoyles and chimeras

Gargoyles appeared on the facade in the 13th century. They are demonic creatures resembling large dragons. The limestone from the Seine basin proved durable, so the figures have survived well. The word translates from Old French as "throat." In Gothic architecture, gargoyles channeled rainwater and concealed stone gutters inside.

Chimeras look different: demons, mythical birds, beasts with webbed wings. They embody human sins. The figures were installed during Viollet-le-Duc's restoration; he drew the sketches himself, and the craftsmen of Geoffroy-Dechaume carved them in stone. One of the famous chimeras, the Strix, depicts a half-woman, half-bird.

Interior

Inside, the plan of the church forms a cross from the longitudinal and transverse naves. There are almost no load-bearing walls; two rows of columns take their place. The walls are decorated with artistic carvings. Part of the space is occupied by the "Mays" paintings, which were donated to the cathedral on May 1 in the 17th and 18th centuries.

© iMahesh · CC BY-SAPhoto: iMahesh, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

Beneath the upper tier stand sculptures of the kings of the Old Testament. The originals were destroyed, and copies stand in their place. The great organ was installed back in the Middle Ages and was later rebuilt and reconstructed. A spiral staircase in the South Tower leads up to the viewing platform, from which you can see the bell, the gargoyles, and the chimeras.

The side chapels are dedicated to the earthly life of the Virgin Mary. Light enters through colored stained glass and pointed windows, so the gray-steel stone does not look gloomy.

Victor Hugo's novel that saved the cathedral

By the 19th century, the cathedral had deteriorated so badly that it was slated for demolition. Victor Hugo's novel "Notre-Dame de Paris" was published in 1831 and changed attitudes toward the building. The writer was a defender of old architecture, and his book drew the attention of all of France to the church.

The plot centers on the Romani woman Esmeralda. The priest Claude Frollo, the bell-ringer Quasimodo, and Captain Phoebus de Châteaupers all fall in love with her. Frollo tries to seduce the girl, is rejected, and orders her abduction. Quasimodo hides Esmeralda in the cathedral, which under Catholic law offered sanctuary. Her friendly feelings for the hunchback never turn into love, and the novel's ending is tragic.

The book stunned readers with its description of the cathedral, and the demolition was never mentioned again. Restoration began in 1844 under the direction of Viollet-le-Duc and was completed in 1864.

The 2019 fire and restoration

On April 15, 2019, a fire broke out at the cathedral. The flames destroyed Viollet-le-Duc's spire and the lead roof, and part of the vaults collapsed. Firefighters saved the main structure, but the cathedral had to be closed for restoration.

The cathedral reopened on December 8, 2024 (according to the restoration page, as of 09/2026). Inside, the stone was cleaned, lighting and furnishings were updated, and the altar and reliquary were returned. The west rose window and stained glass look bright again.

Museum and Treasury

The museum tells the history of the cathedral and displays works of art and church furnishings. It leads to the Treasury, which houses the most important Christian relics: the Crown of Thorns and a fragment of the True Cross. The rooms display vestments, manuscripts, paintings, and liturgical objects. Admission to the Treasury is paid; check the price on the official website.

Opening hours and ticket prices

Admission to the cathedral is free. On weekdays the doors open around 7:50 and close at 19:00; on Thursdays the cathedral is open until 22:00. On weekends, hours are 8:15 to 19:30. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing (as of 09/2026, official website).

Tower tickets are sold online only; you cannot buy them on site. The towers are closed on January 1, May 1, and December 25 (as of 09/2026, tower tickets and hours).

The cathedral is always crowded, so it is best to arrive at the main entrance in the morning. The Treasury is visited with a separate paid ticket.

Location and how to get there

The cathedral stands on the Île de la Cité at 6 Parvis Notre-Dame, Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris. The closest metro is line 4, Cité station, a 3-minute walk away. Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame station serves RER B and C trains and is about 5 minutes from the entrance. Lines 1 and 11 to Hôtel de Ville and line 10 to Cluny-La Sorbonne also work (as of 09/2026, official website).

If you are coming from Charles de Gaulle Airport, take RER B and get off at Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame. The journey takes about 40 minutes. Taxis and buses get stuck in traffic in the center, so the metro is faster.

Notre-Dame Cathedral on the map

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to enter Notre-Dame Cathedral?

Entry to the cathedral is free, no ticket needed. You only pay for the towers and the Treasury. An adult ticket for the towers costs 16 € (as of 09/2026, towers page), visitors under 18 enter free. The Treasury is paid for separately.

Do I need to book a time slot for my visit?

Individual visitors do not need a reservation to enter the cathedral; groups must arrange one in advance. Tower tickets are sold exclusively online and cannot be bought on site. From April to September, available slots go quickly, so plan your visit ahead.

How much time should I allow for the visit?

Allow about an hour for the cathedral. Climbing the towers adds another hour: there is a narrow spiral staircase and a viewing platform. The Treasury takes about half an hour. If you want to see everything, set aside half a day for Île de la Cité.

What happened to the cathedral after the 2019 fire?

The fire destroyed the spire and the lead roof, and part of the vaulting collapsed. Restoration took five years, and the cathedral reopened on December 8, 2024. Inside, the stone was cleaned, the lighting was upgraded, and the altar and reliquary were returned.

When is the best time to come to avoid standing in line?

Come at opening time on a weekday or on Thursday evening, when the cathedral is open until 10:00 PM (according to the official website). In summer, the line is longest at midday. On weekends the doors open at 8:15 AM, and fewer people are there by that time.

In short: what is worth booking

If you have two hours, stick to the cathedral: entry is free, and you will have time to see the nave, chapels, and stained glass. If you want a panorama of Paris, book a tower ticket in advance and arrive at opening time. If you are interested in the history of the relics, add the Treasury with the Crown of Thorns.

For a full day on Île de la Cité, compare guided tours on GetYourGuide. Arrive at opening time: the lines are shorter and the light in the stained glass is brighter.