Renowned for its picturesque facade screen unique in France, Notre-Dame de Dijon Church was initiated in 1220 and finished in 1240. Its style, comparable to that of contemporary religious monuments in Laon, Auxerre, or Soissons, straddles the classical Gothic (1220) and Flamboyant Gothic (1230) periods. From 1865 to 1884, the church underwent significant modifications, particularly at the level of the crossing tower that was surmounted in 1873 by a slate spire much higher than the previous bell tower and surrounded by elegant turrets. The current 274 ft (83.60 m) high bell tower was again restored using slates from Angers and Fumay (Ardennes) at the end of the 1960s.