There are 13 church bells in the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris; 10 main bells are mounted in the two main bell towers and 3 smaller bells in the sanctuary. Notre-Dame used to have other bells in the spire, but these were destroyed in a fire in 2019.
For most of the cathedral's history, the bells have been primarily used as a striking clock, to call to prayer for the Angelus, and to announce and participate in Divine Offices and special services. They have also sometimes been used as a tocsin or to commemorate historic events. As such they have become a familiar part of life in Paris, where they are known as "the cathedral's voice."
The largest, oldest, and most well-known of Notre-Dame's bells is the bourdon Emmanuel, which was cast in 1686. Emmanuel is considered by campanologists as one of Europe's finest bells and was designated a national historic landmark in 1944 when it rang during the liberation of Paris.