The heart of Paris? Power, representation, and restoration in the nineteenth-century cathedral of Notre-Dame

The fire that devastated Notre-Dame in April 2019 drew the attention of the world and reiterated the centrality of the cathedral in contemporary visions of Paris, as both the literal and figurative heart of the city. This chapter shows how perceptions of Notre-Dame as an embodiment of Paris are rooted not in the cathedral's medieval origins, but in the transformations of its purpose, cultural representation, and physical form that occurred across the long nineteenth century. It examines Notre-Dame in political, artistic, architectural, and urbanist contexts, from its importance in the revolution of 1789 to the impact of Victor Hugo's novel Notre-Dame de Paris and the decades-long restoration of the cathedral led by the architect Viollet-le-Duc. It argues that the nineteenth century remade Notre-Dame as both a global symbol of Paris and as a space in which to come to terms with revolutionary ruptures and the emergence of modernity.