Victor Hugo wrote the Hunchback of Norte-Dame to inform people of the value of Gothic architecture, which was being neglected and destroyed at the time. This explains the large descriptive sections of the book, which far exceed the requirements of the story.
The wooden structure supporting…
The wooden structure supporting the 210 ton lead roof of Notre Dame, nicknamed “The Forest,” was made from an estimated 13,000 300-400 year old Oak trees from the 12th and 13th Century. It took 87 years to build Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, from 1163-1250.