Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Because when you think about Notre Dame, you think west façade, I decided you should see the south one too!

Above the south portal of the cathedral is a magnificent rose window offered by St. Louis. Like her sister from the north, the south rose window, has a diameter of 13.1 meters, and if we add the lattice underlying the overall height of the canopy reaches almost 19 meters.

This rose was picked by Viollet-le-Duc in the XIX^th century,to block the impression of rotation of the rosette. The reason for this change seems to be that the rose had suffered greatly over the centuries and especially the burning of the palace triggered by insurgents in 1830. The architect-restorer found a more significant collapse of the masonry, and must therefore consolidate this entire facade. He turned the rosette with 15 degrees for the sole purpose of giving a strong vertical axis for the final consolidation and avoid a collapse later. The master glassmaker Alfred Gerente restored at this time the XIII^th century windows and reconstructed in medieval spirit the missing medallions.

The whole gives an impression of harmony. The rosette of the roof is a perfectly in proportion with the large rose window of the transept. According to Viollet-le-Duc, the great beauty of this building was not surpassed elsewhere in the Gothic architecture.

Also be sure to visit:
the official site
the wiki page