How to Draw a Notre-Dame Cathedral (Easy Step by Step)
Learn to draw a Notre-Dame Cathedral using simple shapes like rectangles, arches, and circles. This step-by-step guide will show you how to construct the towers, roof, windows, and doors to create a storybook-like building.
- Start your drawing with simple shapes like rectangles and circles.
- Begin by sketching the two main towers of the cathedral.
- Add the roof, windows, and doors to complete the structure.
- Don't forget to include a round window in the middle for detail.
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A cathedral looks grand, but it is built from simple shapes: tall rectangles, a pointed roof, arches, and circles. This guide starts with the two big towers and then adds the roof, windows, doors, and a round window in the middle. When you finish, you have a building that looks like it belongs in a storybook.
- Medium
- 15 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawing
In this article (7 sections)
How to draw a Notre-Dame cathedral step by step
How to Draw a Notre-Dame Cathedral · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Two tall towers
Draw two tall rectangles side by side, one on the left and one on the right, a little narrower at the top. Add a short curl at the top of each side, and join the bottoms with one straight line along the ground.
Step 2: The pointed roof
Between the towers, draw a gentle peak. Start on the left tower, go up to a point in the middle, and come down to the right tower.
Step 3: Tower tops and windows
Draw a short straight line across the top of each tower, then add a little bumpy crown above it. Under the line, draw two tall skinny ovals side by side for windows.
Step 4: The big front door
In the middle at the bottom, draw a tall arch like an upside-down U. Start and end it on the ground line, between the towers.
Step 5: The small side doors
Draw a smaller arch at the bottom of each tower. Start and end each one on the ground line, and make both the same size.
Step 6: The round window
Above the big door, between the towers, draw a big circle. Inside it, draw a smaller circle with a tiny circle in the very center, like a target.
Step 7: Side bumps and windows
Draw one tall oval window in the middle of each tower, below the two small ones. Then add two little curved bumps, one above the other, on the outer side of each tower.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your Notre-Dame cathedral? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a rocket or how to draw a shooting star next.
Tips for drawing a Notre-Dame cathedral
- Draw the two towers with slow, steady lines, and make them the same height so the cathedral looks balanced.
- The arches are the trickiest part. Draw an upside-down U that starts and ends on the ground line.
- For the round window, draw the biggest circle first and work inward. Each circle sits in the middle of the one before it.
Free Notre-Dame cathedral coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this Notre-Dame cathedral coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your Notre-Dame cathedral drawing
Try warm gray or sandy tan for the stone walls, and bright reds, blues, and golds for the round window. For a creative twist, color the rings of the round window like stained glass with a different color in each ring.
Notre-Dame cathedral fun fact for kids
The real Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris has two tall towers on its front and a big round stained glass window called a rose window.
Questions about drawing a Notre-Dame cathedral
What shapes do I need to draw a cathedral?
You need tall rectangles for the towers, a peak for the roof, arches for the doors, ovals for the windows, and circles for the round window.
How do I draw a round window that looks even?
Start with the biggest circle, then draw a smaller circle inside it, and finish with a tiny circle in the center. Take your time and keep each circle centered.
How do I make my cathedral look taller?
Make the towers narrow and tall, and keep the doors and windows long and skinny. Tall shapes make the whole building feel grand.
