41. Historical building

Describe a historical building you have been to You should say: ‣

what it is ‣

what it looks like ‣

what it is used for now ‣

what you learned there ‣

> I've never been keen on history and didn't like visiting historical places when I traveled. But during the COVID pandemic, I got so bored staying at home that I decided to take a virtual tour of Notre-Dame de Paris. So now, I can say that I've been there. This is a medieval Gothic building which has become a truly iconic landmark. I'm sure there are no people in the world, except newborn babies, of course, who have never heard of and cannot recognise this cathedral. It is one of the most visited museums not only in France, but in the e' world.What makes an immediate impression on visitors to Notre Dame is, with doubt, its immense size. The second striking thing is its beauty. You can't but gasp in amazement when you, first, see its three big _portals laden with sculpted saints and sacred scenes. Then your jaw drops when you see two massive Gothic towers which crown the facade. At first glance, they seem identical twins, but they aren't. The north tower is, in fact, bigger than the south one At the cathedral's east end, there's the apse with large clerestory windows. It is crowned with an infamous Gothic spire which recently collapsed in the fire. There are also many exterior flving_buttresses constructed to support thin walls. If you look at the cathedral either side, you see porches, chapels and other embellishments. Oh, and 1 forgot to mention its three great rose windows which have retained their thirteenth century glass

So, Notre Dame is, undoubtedly, an architectural masterpiece, but not just that. Also, įt's a Catholic place of worship, and it's a functioning church. People can meet a priest to receive the forgiveness of sins or attend masses and services almost every day