5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

A man stands in front of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral a few days before its reopening, in Paris on Dec. 2, 2024. Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty Images

PARIS—Notre Dame Cathedral, which is set to reopen to the public on Sunday after a five-year restoration following a devastating fire, stands as a jewel of Gothic architecture, a symbol of Paris and a tourist mecca.

But behind the grandeur of the cathedral, which took 182 years to build between the 12th and 14th centuries, lie some surprising stories. From medieval myths to modern-day mysteries, here are five special things to know about this Paris landmark:

The Heart of France, Literally

Notre Dame’s importance goes beyond its architecture and history—it’s literally the point from which all roads in France begin.