The Notre Dame de Paris took 182 years to build
The Strasbourg cathedral took 424 years
And the Milan cathedral took 579 years to build!
So why did it take so much time to build a medieval cathedral?
1. Finance
Cathedrals were mostly built with money raised from ordinary people. So given the relatively small population size and poverty of most people at the time, funds frequently dwindled or dried out completely. Thus hampering the construction work.
2 . Skilled builders' scarcity
Stonemasons and master-builders were highly skilled and members of exclusive guilds. They were expensive but also wanted all over Europe. Their scarcity fuelled competition and drove up prices. So having a sufficient workforce was not always a given.
3. Logistics
The huge quantities of raw material that needed to be extracted and transported required access to abundant sources and a substantial amount of men and animal power. The organising of logistics was an enormous challenge, vulnerable to disruptions.
4. New and ever-evolving
The technology and architectural style were new and constantly evolving. Thus also the skillsets that workers were required to learn and master, slowing down construction.
But maybe the most obvious reason why it took so long to build medieval cathedrals is because they are reeeeaaaally big!
