Editing Notre-Dame de Paris (section)

==Towers and the flèche==
{{main|Spire of Notre-Dame de Paris}}

[[File:Flèche Notre-Dame de Paris.jpg|thumb|right|The 19th-century [[flèche (architecture)|flèche]]]]

The two towers are {{Convert|69|m|ft}} high. The towers were the last major element of the cathedral to be constructed. The south tower was built first, between 1220 and 1240, and the north tower between 1235 and 1250. The newer north tower is slightly larger, as can be seen when they are viewed from directly in front of the church. The ''contrefort'' or buttress of the north tower is also larger.<ref>Marcel Aubert, ''Notre-Dame de Paris : sa place dans l'histoire de l'architecture du xiie au xive siècle'', H. Laurens, 1920, p. 133. (in French).</ref> The cathedral's main peal of bells is within these towers.

The south tower was accessible to visitors by a stairway, whose entrance was on the south side of the tower. The stairway has 387 steps, and has a stop at the Gothic hall at the level of the rose window, where visitors could look over the parvis and see a collection of paintings and sculpture from earlier periods of the cathedral's history.

The cathedral's [[flèche (architecture)|flèche]] (or spirelet) was located over the transept. The original flèche was constructed in the 13th century, probably between 1220 and 1230. It was battered, weakened and bent by the wind over five centuries, and was removed in 1786. During the 19th-century restoration, Viollet-le-Duc recreated it, making a new version of oak covered with lead. The entire flèche weighed 750 tonnes.

The rooster weathervane on top of the flèche has both a religious and political symbolism. The rooster is the symbol of the French state, which since 1905 has owned Notre-Dame and the other 86 cathedrals in France. It is found over all French cathedrals, as well as over the entrance of the [[Elysée Palace]], the residence of the French president, on other government buildings, and on French postage stamps. 

Following Viollet-le-Duc's plans, the flèche was surrounded by copper statues of the [[twelve Apostles]]{{mdashb}}a group of three at each point of the compass. In front of each group is a symbol representing one of the four evangelists: a winged ox for Saint Luke,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catholicexchange.com/what-are-the-symbols-of-the-four-evangelists|last=Saunders|first=Father William|date=18 October 2019|title=What are the Symbols of the Four Evangelists?|work=[[Sophia Institute Press|Catholic Exchange]]|access-date=23 June 2019|archive-date=27 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527021025/https://catholicexchange.com/what-are-the-symbols-of-the-four-evangelists/|url-status=live}}</ref> a lion for Saint Mark, an eagle for Saint John and an angel for Saint Matthew. Just days prior to the fire, the statues were removed for restoration.<ref name="Buncombe">{{cite news |last1=Buncombe |first1=Andrew |title=Notre Dame's historic statues safe after being removed just days before massive fire |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/notre-dame-cathedral-fire-statues-renovation-apostles-evangelists-a8871586.html |access-date=15 April 2019 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=15 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415195451/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/notre-dame-cathedral-fire-statues-renovation-apostles-evangelists-a8871586.html |archive-date=15 April 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> While in place, they had faced outwards towards Paris, except one: the statue of Saint Thomas, the patron saint of architects, faced the flèche, and had the features of Viollet-le-Duc.
 
The rooster weathervane at the top of the flèche contained three relics: a tiny piece from the [[Crown of Thorns]] in the cathedral treasury, and relics of Saint [[Saint Denis of Paris|Denis]] and [[Saint Genevieve]], patron saints of Paris. They were placed there in 1935 by Archbishop [[Jean Verdier]], to protect the congregation from lightning or other harm. The rooster was recovered in the rubble shortly after the fire,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2019/04/18/rooster-from-notre-dame-spire-saved-from-rubble/|title=Notre Dame weathervane comes home to roost|date=18 April 2019|work=[[Catholic Herald]]|agency=[[Catholic News Agency]]|access-date=27 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418170935/https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2019/04/18/rooster-from-notre-dame-spire-saved-from-rubble/ |archive-date=18 April 2019}}</ref> and has since been on display inside the reopened cathedral.

The new flèche was put in place on 16 December 2023, and a new gilded rooster sculpture, designed by architect Philippe Villeneuve, was also installed, containing the same relics as old flèche, as well as the names of two thousand people who had participated in the reconstruction. Getting to work, Villeneuve's team scrutinised the journal in which Viollet-le-Duc had entered all the details of Notre-Dame's 19th century restoration work.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sawa |first=Dale Berning |title='It was so fragile, we weren't certain it wouldn't collapse': the architect who sketched Notre Dame's ancient insides |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/dec/16/axelle-ponsonnet-carnet-de-chantier-ballade-dans-notre-dame |website=The Guardian |date=2024-12-16 |access-date=2025-04-04}}</ref>