considered one of the very finest examples in world of French Gothic architecture, and

是法蘭西地區的哥德式建築裡，非常具有關鍵代表意義的一座。

by looking at the cathedral; I think you can understand why. The name Notre Dame is something

觀察一下這座大教堂，我想你可以理解原因何來。聖母院這個名字

not specific to this grand cathedral. The phrase means "our lady" with a direct reference

不是這個雄偉的教堂所獨有的。這個詞彙意為「我們的女士」，正是指

to the Virgin Mary, and is widely used all over France as a name for churches and cathedrals.

聖母瑪利亞，而且這個名字被廣泛用在法蘭西地區的教堂與主教座堂裡。

Even though the full name of these masterpieces is Notre Dame de Paris, many people just refer

即使這個建築傑作全名為「巴黎聖母院」，很多人只稱

to it as the Notre Dame. The planning of a new, grand cathedral in

之為「聖母院」。在巴黎興建一座新的、雄偉的大教堂的計畫

Paris began in 1160. It was the newly appointed bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully, who ordered

始於西元1160年。這是由當時新任命的巴黎地區主教，昴熙斯·德·蘇利所發起的，

the construction of a new cathedral. In order to make place for it, the bishop had the old

大教堂的建造計畫。為了挪出建教堂的土地，主教將

church demolished together with several other houses. A new road was also constructed in

舊教堂和一些其他房子一起拆除。也鋪了新的道路

order to bring material to the construction site. Construction of the cathedral itself

來運送建材到建地。大教堂本體的興建

began in 1163, when either Maurice de Sully or Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone. Who

始於1163年，當時可能是昴熙斯·德·蘇利主教或教宗亞歷山大三世埋下基石。

actually laid the first piece of this masterpiece is still under debate, but it is documented

而事實上大家還在爭論是誰埋了這個傑作的第一顆基石，但文件記載，

that both the bishop and the pope was attending the ceremony in question.

主教和教宗都出席了這個奠基儀式。

The cathedral consists of two parts; the western side is the main entrance with the two bell

這個教堂有兩部分：西側是主要入口，有兩個鐘塔；

towers while the eastern side is the main hall and choir. During the construction, focus

而東側是主廳和唱詩班席。興建的焦點

was on building the eastern part first. That way the cathedral could still be utilized

一開始是在東側。那樣大教堂在興建其他部位的時候，

by putting up a temporary western wall while the rest of the western parts were being built.

只要在西側建臨時牆面，大教堂仍然可以使用。

Construction of the choir took place between 1163 and 1177and the new high altar was finished

唱詩班席在1163年到1177年之間建造，而新的聖壇在

1182. Maurice de Sully never got to see the cathedral complete, as he died in 1196. His

1182年完成。昴熙斯·德·蘇利從未看到大教堂完工，因為他在1196年逝世了。

successor, Eudes de Sully, continued the work and began construction of the western entrance

他的繼任者，厄德·德·蘇利，繼續這項工作，並且開始西側入口的建造，

before his own death in 1208. The western entrance stood completed in when the South tower was

直到1208年逝世為止。南塔於1250年完工時，西側入口早已完成，

finished in 1250, but the building itself was not entirely completed until 1345 as details

但建築物本體一直到1345年才全部完成，因為在後面的一百年裡細部不斷

were added and changed for the last 100 years. Thus, in total this masterpiece took almost

添增、改變。所以這個建築傑作幾乎花了

180 years to complete. In 1793, the cathedral was damaged during

180年來完成。在1793年法國大革命期間，

the French Revolution. Many sculptures and treasures were plundered or destroyed. One

大教堂有所毀損。許多雕像和珍寶被劫掠了或摧毀了。

example of this is The Gallery of Kings. This is a row of twenty-eight statues representing

例如「國王長廊」。這是一字排開共28座的雕像，代表著

twenty-eight generations of kings of Judah, which can be seen just above the main gates.

歷任28位猶大國王。你可以在大門門拱上看到他們。

However, after the kings' installation in the 13th century, they quickly became familiar

然而，在13世紀這些國王雕像被放置之後，他們被認為是

representations of the kings of France and from 1284 onwards, they were presented in

法蘭西國王的代表，而且從1284年之後，他們的形象就

this way. During the troubled time of the Revolution, these statues were attacked and

如此定下。在動盪的大革命時期，這些雕像被破壞與

beheaded as they were seen as symbols of the royal tyranny. These were later restored when

斬首，因為他們象徵著王權專制統治。這些雕像隨後在

the church underwent restoration work during the 19th century. The restorations lasted

19世紀教堂進行修復的同時也重新復原了。復原計畫持續了

23 years, and it was during this period that the spire which you can see today was erected.

23年，同時也是在這個時期豎立了現今可見的尖塔。

Today, the cathedral houses a total of five bells in its bell towers; one grand bell and

今天，在大教堂所有鐘塔內共有五個鐘：一個大鐘與

five smaller. By smaller I mean that they weigh between two and three tons, so they

五個小一點的鐘。我指的「小一點」是重量在2-3噸，所以他們

are only small when compared to the big bell. The big bell is known as "Emmanuel" and weighs

是相對的小，如果和那個大鐘相比的話。大鐘名為「艾曼紐」，重達

13 tons. It is located in the south tower and it is rung for major holidays such as Christmas,

13噸。艾曼紐鐘位在南塔，它在重要節日時會敲響，諸如聖誕節、

Easter, all Saints' days and other important events. The smaller bells ring every hour

復活節、聖人的節日和其他重要節慶。較小的鐘每小時會敲響

to indicate the time. Notre Dame de Paris truly has an amazing outside,

報時。巴黎聖母院的外觀十分驚人，

decorated with hundreds of gargoyles and statues, each telling their own story. Especially interesting

有著數以百計的滴水嘴獸、雕像，每一個都訴說著他們自己的故事。特別有趣的是

to many is the gates, which stories I will give you now.

這些大門，我現在就來跟你說說他們的故事。

The main gate you can see in the middle portrays the meeting with the Lord and the last judgment.

在中間你看到的主門，描繪著耶穌與祂對人的最後審判的情景。

You will also see an angel and a devil with a scale in between. This symbolizes all the

你將會看到一個天使與一個惡魔，之間還放著天平。這象徵著所有的

good deeds and the bad deeds people have done through their lives and the tilt of the scale

生命中曾經做過的良行與惡行將被秤量，而天秤的傾向

decides where the people end up; in either heaven or hell. If you look closely, you will

決定了人的去處；天堂或者地獄。如果你細看，你將會

see how the people on the left side of the scale happily looks up towards the sky, where

看到左方的人們多麼快樂地望向天空，而

as the right ones are sad looking as they have to follow the devil. The right gate,

右方的人們看著十分憂傷，因為他們必須隨著惡魔而去。右邊的門，

known as The Portal of St. Anne, displays the story of the marriage of Joachim and Anne

為聖安娜之門，敘述著約阿希姆與安娜的婚禮，

and the marriage of Mary and Joseph as well as scenes from Christ's arrival on earth.

、瑪利亞與約瑟的婚禮，以及耶穌降生於世的場景。

The left gate is known as The Portal of the Virgin. Above the door, you will see the three

左邊的門為聖母之門。在門上方，你將會看到三位

prophets on the left and three Old Testament kings on the right, holding phylacteries showing

先知在左，三位聖經舊約裡的國王在右，持著聖物箱，顯示

that God's promise has been fulfilled; Jesus has come to save humanity. Above that you

神的許諾已經完成；耶穌已經降臨來拯救世人。其上

can see Mary on her death bed, surrounded by Jesus and the twelve Apostles. You can

你可以看到瑪利亞臨終臥於床上，被耶穌與十二使徒圍繞。你也可以

also see two angels, lifting up her shroud and taking her to Heaven. On the top you can

看到兩個天使，提著她的衾衣、領著她前往天堂。在頂端你可以

see Mary in Heaven, crowned the Queen of Heaven by an angel while being blessed by Jesus.

看到瑪利亞在天堂；在耶穌賜福於她時，她被一位天使授與「天上母后」之尊稱。

If you choose to go up in the towers, which I can highly recommend as the view is great,

我強烈建議你登上塔頂，因為塔頂視野極佳；如果你選擇登塔，

you will get a closer look at the gargoyles and chimeras. While the statues have a decorative

你可以近看這些滴水嘴獸和奇美拉獸。這些雕像是裝飾用，

purpose, they also have a practical purpose as some of them are used as drainpipes. Many

不過它們有的也非常實用，因為有些是被用來當作排水管。

of the grotesque figures have a passageway inside that carries rainwater from the roof

這些怪異的形體內有一條通道，可以收集屋頂的雨水，

and out through the gargoyle's mouth. The gargoyles were also believed to protect the

然後將雨水從滴水嘴獸的口流出。一般相信滴水嘴獸可以保護

cathedral against evil spirits. The classical chimeras you can see surrounding the two towers

大教堂對抗邪惡的心念。你看到圍繞在兩個塔上的古雅的奇美拉獸，

were however not in the original cathedral, but they were added later during the 19th

卻不是大教堂原有的設計，而是在19世紀修復時所加上的。

century restoration. While the outside of the Notre Dame is amazing,

如果說聖母院有著驚人炫目的外觀，

the inside is just as beautiful. Inside you will find spiritual statues, magnificent paintings

內部也就能說是漂亮而已。在裡面你將找到先賢、聖者的雕像；華美的巨幅畫作；

and breathtaking stained glass windows. Many of the old church windows also tell a story,

與令人驚嘆的彩繪玻璃窗。許多舊教堂的玻璃窗都講述著歷史與傳聞，

with each part of the window telling a part of the story, almost like a modern cartoon.

窗上的每個部分都描述著部分的故事，幾乎和現代的漫畫一樣。

Most breathtaking are the three rose windows, which all date back to 13th century. Although

令人屏息的是那三個玫瑰窗，她們的歷史可追溯到13世紀。

they have received some restoration work during the years, the windows you can see today are

雖然這些年有經過修復，現在你看到的玻璃窗

very much true to what the windows looked like in the 13th century. Quite amazing.

幾乎還原了她們13世紀時的樣貌。讓人十分驚奇。

Even though the cathedral is the obvious point of focus, there are some surrounding places

即使大教堂是這個地區的焦點，周圍有些地點

and monuments that are worth noting. If you look at the cathedrals front, you will see

和紀念遺跡也值得注意。如果你對著大教堂的正面，你會看到

a large statue to your right. The inscription reads "Charlemagne et ses levdes", meaning

一座大雕像在你的右方。碑文上寫著「Charlemagne et ses levdes」，意為

Carlemagne and his noble servants. Carlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, was the great

查理大帝和他令人尊崇的僕人。查理大帝Carlemagne，又稱Charles the Great，是

Frankish king during the 8th century who helped define the Western Europe we know today through

公元八世紀時的一位震古鑠今的法蘭克國王；他的南征北討，界定了我們今天熟知的西歐地區。

his conquering. The statue is not as old as the Notre Dame itself, as the statue was created

這個雕像不如聖母院的歷史悠久，因為它是在

in 1886 by Louis and Charles Rochet. Another interesting little detail can be found

1886年才由路易斯和查爾斯·羅歇設計建造。另一個耐人尋味的細節在

in the pavement, in front of the cathedral. If you look around you should see a circular

大教堂前的人行道上。若環顧四周你應該會看到一個圓形的

marking, saying "Point Zéro - des routes des France" meaning "Point Zero -- the roads

標誌，上有「Point Zéro - des routes des France」，意謂「法國的公路原點」。

of France". This is the location where all distances are traditionally measured. Many

這個點是傳統上所有距離測量的起始點。許多

countries have there so called "Kilometer Zero"-points, and France's point happens to

國家都有這所謂的「零公里點」，而法國的就在這裡。

be right here. The marking is also considered to be the official centre of the city of Paris.

這個標誌也被認為是官方的巴黎市中心。