Paris, France
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre
A white-domed basilica crowning the highest point in Paris, built as an act of national penance after the Franco-Prussian War, now one of the most visited churches in France.
You climb the hill or take the funicular, and Paris drops away below you — rooftops, chimneys, the Eiffel Tower in the distance. The basilica is white Château-Landon travertine that actually bleaches itself in the rain, which is why it looks freshly built even though it dates to 1914. The Romano-Byzantine design was controversial from the start. Critics called it a political monument, a conservative Catholic rebuke to the Paris Commune. The builders called it an act of reparation, a prayer in stone for the sins of the nation. Whatever it is, forty thousand people visit every day. Inside, the apse holds one of the largest mosaics in the world — Christ in Majesty with outstretched arms, flanked by saints and angels, done in gold and blue tessarae that cover over 475 square meters. Perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament has continued here without interruption since 1885, through two World Wars, through occupation, through everything. Someone is praying in this church right now, as you read this. That unbroken chain of prayer is the real architecture of the place — more impressive than the dome, more lasting than the stone.
Diocese: Archdiocese of Paris
Style: Romano-Byzantine
What to See
The apse mosaic is overwhelming in the best sense — Christ's golden figure with arms wide, surrounded by saints including Joan of Arc and the Virgin Mary, against a deep blue sky. It was designed by Luc-Olivier Merson and completed in 1922. The crypt below the main church contains relics and a chapel dedicated to the founders. Climb the 300 steps to the dome for one of the best views in Paris — on a clear day you can see 30 kilometers in every direction. The adoration chapel is to the side of the main nave; visitors are welcome to sit in silence. The great bell, the Savoyarde, is one of the heaviest in the world and can be heard for miles.
Pilgrim Notes
The basilica is at the summit of the Butte Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement. Take the Metro to Anvers or Abbesses and walk up, or use the funicular from the base of the hill. The basilica is free to enter; there is a fee for the dome climb and crypt visit. Mass is celebrated daily. The surrounding Montmartre neighborhood is tourist-heavy but retains some of its old village character on the back streets behind the basilica. Come early in the morning or at dusk to avoid the densest crowds. Pickpockets work the steps leading up to the church — keep your belongings close. The basilica enforces a strict silence policy inside, and photography without flash is permitted.