Before you is the main Catholic church of Protestant Geneva. Its construction in 1852-57 became possible only after part of the land was transferred by the city to religious minorities. It is now a stronghold of local Catholics and a place of pilgrimage for those who follow the Way of St. James.
Built in the Gothic style, the Notre-Dame Basilica, of course, surpasses the austere St. Peter's Cathedral in the splendor of its decoration. The stained-glass windows alone are worth it, some of which have been preserved since the time of construction. Stone and brick, characteristic of other buildings in Geneva, are replaced here with lighter sandstone. Which, again, makes this building stand out significantly against the cityscape.
The basilica's main shrine, revered not only by the Catholics of Geneva but also by pilgrims from other countries, is considered to be a huge white-stone statue of the Mother of God, presented in 1859 by Pope Pius IX, who was later canonized.
