For over 800 years, Notre Dame has towered over Parisian life, becoming a symbol of French culture and religion. While the cathedral's familiar facade has gone mostly unchanged, there have been historic moments of war, politics and ideological shifts that put the landmark in jeopardy and tested its resilience. However, no moment so far was as physically destructive as the catastrophic fire in April 2019 that saw much of the original oak roof and its iconic 19th century spire burn. Now Notre Dame embarks on a new journey to rebuild in the present while still honoring and preserving the past.

Dive deep into the world of animals, science, and natural history in our original video series Nat Geo Explores.