Cathedral of Saint Étienne, Paris

The Cathedral of Saint Étienne occupied the heart of the Île de la Cité long before Notre Dame replaced it. This fourth century basilica served as the primary religious center of Roman Lutetia. During the sixth century, King Childebert the First ordered its expansion, turning the modest structure into a grand site for royal baptisms and burials. It remained a powerful symbol of Merovingian authority for five hundred years until workers demolished the walls to make room for the current cathedral’s west front.