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Notre Dame de Paris, more than seven hundred years old, is only the most recent of holy houses to occupy this ancient sacred ground. The Celts held their services on this island in the Seine, and atop their sacred groves the Romans built their own temple to Jupiter. In the early years of Christianity, a basilica dedicated to St. Etienne was constructed around 528 by Childebert. A church in the Romanesque manner replaced the basilica, and this stood until 1163 when work began on the structure which stands today.
Notre-Dame de Paris began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII. Some claim that there were two churches existing on the site, one to the Virgin Mary, and the other to St. Stephen. Construction was completed about 200 years later around 1345.
During the Revolution, at the end of the 18th century, many of the treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or plundered. Only the great bells avoided being melted down, and the Cathedral was dedicated first to the cult of Reason, and to the cult of the Supreme being. The church interior was used as a warehouse for the storage of forage and food.
Resources:
http://www.elore.com/Gothic/History/Overview/paris.htm
http://www.paris.org/Monuments/NDame/

During my visit to Notre Dame, I was really impressed with the architecture and its position in the river Seine. For sure it must have been a significant mark in many lives through history ...

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I repost after removing some noise. Original photo is cropped.