The snow-white temple-palace atop Montmartre hill is the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, or Sacré-Cœur. It draws the eye and inspires awe at human genius and the greatness of faith. It is beauty embodied in stone, flawless inside and out.
The architecture of the basilica took the best from the Byzantine and Roman styles. The author of the project, Paul Abadie, managed to create a true work of art from white stone with a pinkish hue, which emphasizes the grace of the decorative elements, the elegance of the forms, and the ideal proportions of the building. The main dome of the basilica rises 83 meters above Montmartre, and next to it stands the square tower of the 100-meter bell tower, where the "Savoyarde," the largest bell in Paris, is located.
In front of the entrance to the church stand bronze statues of the saints of France - King Louis IX and Joan of Arc, and in a niche on the pediment, a statue of the Sacred Heart of Christ welcomes those entering. The windows of Sacré-Cœur are magical stained-glass scenes that cast colored reflections on the white walls, while the main adornment of the interior is a magnificent mosaic from the early 20th century.
The basilica was built from 1875 to 1914 in memory of those who died in the Franco-Prussian War. Legendary Montmartre, where artists, poets, and writers who praised beauty always strove to go, deserved to be crowned with such a magnificent building.
