Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, France Dec 8, 2024

In the heart of Paris stands one of the city"s most enduring icons: Notre-Dame Cathedral. Built between the 12th and 13th centuries on the Île de la Cité—an island in the Seine—Notre-Dame has witnessed centuries of French history, from the Hundred Years" War to the French Revolution, and beyond. Although it was chosen by Napoleon as the site of his coronation as emperor in 1804, by the early 19th century, the cathedral was in a state of disrepair. However, one novel changed its fortunes: "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" by Victor Hugo. The popularity of this book helped encourage a restoration project that renewed the cathedral"s former beauty.

© Julien Fromentin/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Birthplace of the Renaissance
Dec 8, 2023La Rocque Harbour, Island of Jersey
Dec 8, 2025Christmas lights on buildings of Domaso, Lake Como, Italy

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Oct 6, 2023Taughannock Falls State Park, New York
Why are blackbirds tied to winter?
Jul 27, 2025Barracudas at Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Aug 24, 2024Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, United States
Aug 10, 2024Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA
Jun 17, 2026Tremola Road on the Saint Gotthard Pass in Airolo, Switzerland
The other great barrier reef
Dec 18, 2023Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
Racing through the five boroughs
Dec 17, 2025Eurasian red squirrel in Northumberland, England
40 years of recovery
May 11, 2025Happy Mothers Day!
Mar 21, 2026International Day of Forests
Apr 29, 2026Belém Tower, Lisbon, Portugal
Dragon tails trail to the sea
Mar 24, 2025African elephants in Namibia
Twinkle twinkle, little bugs
Where are these spectacular peaks?
Mar 30, 2026Demoiselle cranes, India
Aug 22, 2024Aerial view of Ocean City, Maryland, USA
Mar 15, 2026Pacific Rim Whale Festival
Aug 17, 2025Lyngvig Lighthouse, Hvide Sande, Denmark
Masterpiece of acoustic science
‘Only one Earth’
Like paint on a canvas
Honouring the valiant heroes
Nov 3, 2024International Day for Biosphere Reserves
Who’s snoozing?
A real fun guy…er, squirrel
Standing on glass 900+ feet in the air