Catholics around the world usually recognize two architectural landmarks in Europe; these are the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and St. Peter’s Basilica within the Vatican City in Rome. They each have their own architectural style; one is Early Gothic and the other is Renaissance and Baroque. Even though they differ in style, they are both excellent examples of living art museums.
Bishop Maurice de Sully started the construction of Notre Dame in 1163 after ordering the original Cathedral to be demolished. The Cathedral was to be built in the new gothic style and had to reflect Paris's status as the capital of the Kingdom France. It was the first cathedral built on a monumental scale and became the prototype for future cathedrals in France. It took until 1345 before the cathedral was completed, partly because the design was enlarged during construction. The result is an overwhelming building, 128m long with two 69 meter tall towers (420 x 226 ft).
While the reconstruction of Notre Dame took almost two hundred years, St. Peter’s Basilica took about one hundred years. The reconstruction begun under Pope Julius II in 1506 and it was completed in 1615 under Paul V. Emperor Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, ordered to build the original basilica on Vatican Hill. The location was symbolic: this was the place where Saint Peter, the chief apostle, was buried in 64 A.D. A small shrine already existed on the site but it was now replaced by a new building church completed around 349 A.D.
In terms of the arts, Notre Dame and St. Peter’s Basilica have original designs which make them stand out in the art world. Notre Dame is one of the best-known Gothic cathedrals in the world. It was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress, even though it was an accidental creation to support the outside walls as the stress fractures began to occur and the walls pushed outward. Notre Dame is also known for its beautiful stained glass windows, especially the “rose" window made in the 13th century used to tell bible stories. Although Notre Dame is considered a Gothic structure, it incorporates remnants of the earlier Romanesque style. 
At the same time, the interior of St. Peter's Basilica is filled with many masterpieces of Renaissance and Baroque art. Among them is Michelangelo’s work. He served as main architect for a while, designed the dome, as well as the famous frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Bernini designed the great St. Peter's Square that is outlined by a monumental colonnade and its open arms symbolically welcome the world into the Catholic Church. At the same time Bernini also designed the famous baldacchino, which is a monumental canopy that shelters the papal altar and the holy relics of St. Peter.
Even though these have been masterpieces some people have not respected them as they should have. In the right aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica, the first major sight is Michelangelo's beautiful Pietà that he completed when he was just 24. After it was vandalized with an axe in 1972, the sculpture was placed behind protective glass. However, just like in St. Peter’s Basilica, Notre Dame’s art has also suffered. During the French Revolution, many of the cathedral's sculptures, gargoyles and interior was removed or demolished. Even the gallery of Kings was severely damaged. It wasn't until the 19th century before the Cathedral was fully restored by a Parisian architect, Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. It was restored again between 1991 and 2001.
Overall, these two famous worldwide Catholic landmarks, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and St. Peter’s Basilica within in the Vatican City in Rome, continue to store Early Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque art. Even though each building has undergone vandalism and reconstructions, much of the art has survived and continues to amaze us everyday.
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