Le Sacré-Coeur
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35 rue de Chevallier - 75018 Paris |
In 1873, the National Assembly declared its plans to erect this grand Romano-Byzantine basillica, dedicated to the Sacred Heart and intended for public usage. Construction began in 1876 on the plans of Abadie; he intended it to echo the cathedral of St. Front in Périgueux, which he had restored. Thanks to public donations, the building was completed in 1910 and consacrated in 1919. The Sacré-Coeur measures 100 m in length and 50 m in width, and is crowned by a distinctive 83 m dome. The 84 meter high bell-tower shelters an 18.5 ton bell with a 850 kg clapper. The interior of the church hides a lot of treasures of its own: marble sculptures, stained-glass windows, and mosaics. Standing on the stairs of the Sacré-Coeur, you can see a panoramic view that dominates Paris. |
