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Rank 18NewNew entryEditor’s pick
#18 in Landmarks & Wonders
of 20 ranked entries
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Paris, France · 1163–1345, restored 2019–2024
A defining example of French Gothic architecture, Notre-Dame survived the French Revolution in a state of near-ruin before Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel sparked public interest that funded its 19th-century restoration. A catastrophic 2019 fire destroyed its spire and roof; the cathedral reopened to the public in December 2024 after a five-year rebuild. Recorded specifics: country France, built 1163, visitors/yr 12 M. Panel highlighted 2019–2024 restoration used traditional medieval carpentry techniques, reviving oak-frame construction methods largely abandoned for centuries, rose windows and flying buttress system remain benchmark examples of Gothic engineering and reopening drew renewed global attention to the craft of historic stone and timber restoration. The reservation on record is some conservators argue elements of the post-fire restoration prioritised speed of reopening over strict material authenticity.
Religious & spiritual siteEngineering marvel
Score breakdown
How Notre-Dame Cathedral earned 74.6
Each criterion is scored independently, then combined using the weights published on Landmarks & Wonders.
- Historical & cultural significanceweight 30%
- 75.0
- Architectural achievementweight 25%
- 73.6
- Preservation stateweight 20%
- 72.2
- Visitor experienceweight 25%
- 77.1
On the record
Recorded detail
| Country | France |
|---|---|
| Built | 1163 |
| Visitors/yr | 12 |
| Rating | 8.9 |
Panel verdict
Strengths and reservations
What it gets right
- 2019–2024 restoration used traditional medieval carpentry techniques, reviving oak-frame construction methods largely abandoned for centuries
- Rose windows and flying buttress system remain benchmark examples of Gothic engineering
- Reopening drew renewed global attention to the craft of historic stone and timber restoration
Where it gives ground
- Some conservators argue elements of the post-fire restoration prioritised speed of reopening over strict material authenticity
1 appearance
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