Notre Dame Cathedral: Before and during the fire

PARIS, France -- Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, Notre Dame is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages as well as one of the most beloved structures in the world.

Situated on the Ile de la Cite, an island in the Seine River, the cathedral's architecture is famous for, among other things, its many gargoyles and its iconic flying buttresses.

Watch the video above to see the beautiful cathedral before it was devastated by fire.