[Notre-Dame de Paris] / E. Baldus.

Notre-Dame de Paris, or "Our Lady of Paris", is a medieval cathedral on the Île de la Cité island in the historic center of Paris. The cathedral's construction was begun in 1160 and complete by 1260, though it was modified in the following centuries. In the 1790s, Notre-Dame suffered during the French Revolution and much of its religious artwork was destroyed. A major restoration took place between 1844 and 1864. The cathedral is one of the most widely recognized symbols of the city of Paris and the French nation. Artwork, relics, and other antiques stored at the cathedral include the Crown of Thorns which Jesus wore prior to his crucifixion and a piece of the cross on which he was crucified, a 13th-century organ, stained-glass windows, and bronze statues of the Twelve Apostles. While undergoing renovation and restoration, the roof of Notre-Dame caught fire on the evening of 15 April 2019 leading to the destruction of the flèche (the timber spire over the crossing) and most of the lead-covered wooden roof above the stone vaulted ceiling.

Île de la Cité is an island in the River Seine, once known as Lutetia, and is the oldest settlement in Paris, France. It is one of two natural islands in the river, the other being Île Saint-Louis. The island has a rich history that dates back to ancient times. It is believed to have been settled by the Parisii, a Celtic tribe, in the 3rd century BC. In 52 BC, the Romans conquered the island and established a city there, which they called Lutetia. The island was the site of several important events in French history, including the signing of the Edict of Nantes in 1598 and the French Revolution. Today, Île de la Cité is home to many famous landmarks, including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Palais de Justice. Île de la Cité with sights such as the Pont Neuf, the Pont de l’Archevêché and Notre Dame cathedral, makes it the central crossroads of the city, which grew outwards from here. Ile de la Cité is the perfect place for a riverside picnic.

Edouard Baldus (1813-1889) was a French photographer best known for his architectural and landscape photographs. Born in Grunbach, near Strasbourg, France, he began his career as a painter before turning to photography in the 1840s. Baldus was a pioneer of large format photography, using a camera that produced 18x24cm glass negatives. He was commissioned by the French government to document the construction of the new railway lines in the 1850s, and his photographs of the Pont du Gard, the Gare du Nord in Paris and other landmarks are considered some of the finest examples of early architectural photography. Baldus also photographed landscapes and cityscapes, including views of Paris and its environs, as well as scenes from Italy and Egypt. His work was highly influential in the development of photography as an art form, and he is considered one of the most important photographers of the 19th century. Today, Baldus's photographs are held in collections around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles and the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.