This is a description of fifty churches in Paris classified by the French Ministry of Culture as national historic monuments. They are listed by Arrondissement.
The royal chapel built by Louis IX to contain his collection of Passion relics, including Christ's Crown of Thorns – one of the most important relics in medieval Christendom. It is noted especially for its towering walls of stained glass.[1]
Located next to Les Halles markets, rebuilt on a vast scale between 1532 and 1640 in the Flamboyant Gothic style, with touches of the Italian Renaissance.[2]
Rayonnant and Flamboyant Gothic Parish church (13th–15th century
Located next to the Louvre, this was the parish church of the Kings of France and their court. First constructed by Robert II the Pious in the 12th century, it was rebuilt on a larger scale in the 13th century, then enlarged again in the 15th and 17th centuries. Along with Sainte-Chapelle, it the only Paris church that has its original Gothic porch.[3]
Early Gothic (1235), Renaissance (1611) 18th century (Crypt)
Since 1780 the church is the headquarters of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. Artwork includes alabaster sculptures from Nottingham (15th century) a statue by Jean Bullant (16th century), and colorful 19th century stained glass.
Baroque and Classical style parish church (1653–1740)
The church was begun by Louis XIV in 1653, but was not finished until 1740. The architecture was directly inspired by the new style of the Church of the Gesù in Rome. The interior offers a succession of three lavish chapels in succession after the choir, highly decorated with paintings and sculpture. In 1795 Napoleon Bonaparte ordered his soldiers to fire on counter-revolutionary soldiers gathered on the church steps, launching his military and political career.
The church was constructed to the plans of Charles Errard for the convent of the Dames-de-l-Assomption, or the Nouvelles Haudriettes, founded in 1264. The rest of the convent was destroyed in the French Revolution, while the church became a depot for opera and theater decoration. It was returned to the church by Napoleon in 1802, and in 1850, it was given to the Polish Catholic Mission in Paris. The dome is modelled after the Pantheon in Rome, and the porch after that of the Sorbonne. It contains work by French painters of the 18th century, including Carle Vanloo. The painting on the interior of the dome, "The Assumption of the Virgin", is by Charles de La Fosse, who also painted the interior of the dome of Les Invalides.[4]
The church was begun by King Louis XIII, to celebrate his victories over the Protestants at La Rochelle in the French Wars of Religion in 1628. Today it is one of ten minor basilicas located in the Île-de-France region of France. After the French Revolution, from 1796 to 1807, it was the first home of the Paris Bourse (stock exchange). It is known for the ex voto offerings left there by the faithful; Over 37,000 devotional plaques cover the walls of the interior. Notable art includes a series of seven large paintings by Charles-André van Loo (1705–1765). It also contains the funeral monument to Jean-Baptiste Lully court composer for Louis XIV.[5]
Begun as the chapel of the Priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs (now the Musee des Arts et Metiers) beginning in 11th century, it was enlarged with flamboyant features in the 15th century , and again in the 16th century. It is notable particularly for its Renaissance carved sculpture, decoration and large collection of French Renaissance paintings.[6]
Construction of the cathedral began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and was largely completed by 1260, though it was modified frequently in the centuries that followed. In the 1790s, during the French Revolution, Notre-Dame suffered extensive desecration; much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. In the 19th century, the church was extensively restored. It was badly damaged by fire in 2019, and is being restored.
The earliest church was built in 1200, while the present church dates from 1510 to 1522. The immense interior features lavish decor and paintings by Simon Vouet and Noël Coypel. Their theatrical paintings enhance the baroque decor in the transept and chapels.[8]
The church was one of the first major churches on the right bank of the Seine. It was the successor to a 6th century church, and to a second church built on higher ground to avoid the floods of the Seine. The present church, built between 1494 and 1657 due to the French Wars of Religion. The facade, the portion completed last by Salomon de Brosse, became the first example of the French classical style in Paris. The interior is largely Renaissance.[9]
The exterior is rather plain, with an 18th century bell tower, but the interior displays the lavish French Baroque style of the 17th century. The arcades have rounded arches and pilasters with trompe-l'oeil channelling, joined with columns with Corinthian capitals, carved of travertine stone, and decorated with sculpted foliage and angels.[10]
The medieval cloister (1299) from an earlier monastery is the oldest in Paris. The present church was built in 1758, and became a Lutheran church in 1808.[11]
This was the parish church for the early University of Paris, and has vestiges of early Gothic architecture from the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1888 it was transformed into a Melkite Greek Catholic Church. Its interior features early Gothic columns, apse and sculpture, and a 19th century iconostasis for the rites of the Orthodox church.[12]
Flamboyant Gothic, Renaissance, Classical (15th to 18th centuries)
A blend of historic Architectural styles, from Flamboyant to classical, and notable examples of Renaissance and classical art, particularly paintings, sculpture and 16th century stained glass[13]
The church was built between 1627 and 1641, and was the first church of the Jesuit order built in Paris. King Louis XIII laid the first stone. The exterior was adapted from the Church of the Gesù in Rome, while the interior shows the influence of the Flemish Baroque style. It displays a collection of paintings by French Baroque artists from the workshop of Simon Vouet, and works by Germain Pilon and Eugène Delacroix. Music was an important part of the Jesuit church service; the directors of music of the church included the composers Marc-Antoine Charpentier and Jean-Philippe Rameau.[14]
In the heart of the Latin Quarter, the church was first built in 1230, then, after a fire, rebuilt and enlarged in 15th to 17th centuries in the Flamboyant Gothic style. It became a parish church for students at the University of Paris and is one of the oldest churches on the Left Bank.[15]
The church, in the student area of the Left Bank, originally was next to the Basilica where King Clovis I and Saint Genevieve were buried. The present church was built between 1492 and 1626. The Pyramid-shaped facade dates to 1610. The architecture of the interior is Flamboyant Gothic, while the decoration added to it is in the French Renaissance style. It has its original Rood screen, an ornamental bridge separating the Choir from the Nave, built in about 1530.[16]
Part of an abbey proposed by Anne of Austria to celebrate the birth of her son, Louis XIV in 1638, It was begun in 1645 by architect François Mansart, and completed in 1665 by Gabriel Le Duc.[17] The abbey and church were turned into a hospital during the French Revolution. and then became part of the Val-de-Grâce Hospital, which was closed in 1979. The church is attached to the diocese of the French military, and is open to visitors at certain hours.
In the 17th century the church became a center of the Jansenism movement, which called for greater simplicity and a minimum of decoration, which is reflected in the austere interior. It contains the tombs of the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini (1625-1712), the he first to discover the moons of Saturn and to measure accurately actual size of France.[18]
Originally the church of a Benedictine abbey founded in the 6th century, by Childebert. I, the son of Clovis, King of the Franks. The first church was destroyed by the Vikings and rebuilt. The present church was consecrated in 1163, and is considered the oldest church in Paris. The flying buttresses, from the 12th century, were the first on a Paris church.[19] It was named for Saint Germain, an early Bishop of the city.
A Flamboyant bell tower (15th century) is joined with a Renaissance portal (16th century). Notable interior features include one hundred classical columns and a marble retable (1629), rare in Paris, filled with Renaissance paintings. The chapels are also filled with paintings of the period.[20]
The exterior is severe classical, while the interior is a showcase of the Italian Baroque style. Originally built as the chapel of a convent of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, It is now the chapel of the Séminary of the Carmelites, which is part of the Institut Catholique de Paris. It contains a series of chapels highly decorated with Baroque paintings, sculpture and architecture.[21]
Originally built in the 12th century under the authority of the Abbey of Saint-Germaine-des-Prés, it was rebuilt by Anne of Austria between 1646 and 1678. The classical façade was added between 1733 and 1777. Work was interrupted by the French Revolution, and the south tower was never entirely completed. It is the 3rd largest church in Paris, after Notre Dame and Saint Eustache.
The first church on the site was destroyed during the French Revolution. It was rebuilt with an iron frame designed by Gustave Eiffel, twenty years before the Eiffel Tower, with a design inspired by Romanesque architecture. The primary artistic feature is a set of twenty-two large paintings above the galleries in the nave and the choir, depicting the life of the Virgin Mary by the artist Joseph Aubert (1849-1924).
The Restoration and July Monarchy brought a new interest in Gothic architecture. The architect, Théodore Ballu completed the building, using a modern iron frame with traditional stonework. The sculptor James Pradier made a series of seven bas-reliefs celebrating the stations of the cross in classical style, rather than the Gothic style. The paintings and decoration of the interior reflect the changing tastes and technology of the mid-19th century. The metal armature of the organ was made by Gustave Eiffel, creator of the Eiffel Tower, while the organist at the time was composer César Franck.[22]
Begun by Louis XV in 1764 to decorate the end of the new Rue Royale, leading to the redesigned Place de la Concorde. Work was halted by the French Revolution, and resumed by Napoleon Bonaparte, who intended it as a monument to the glory of the French Army. After his downfall it was opened as a parish church, Completed between 1823 and 1830, It is an early example of French Neoclassicism. The interior decoration was inspired by that of classical Roman baths. Notable decoration includes the statue of "The Baptism of Christ" by Francois Rude, who also carved the major sculpture on the Arc de Triomphe. The painted interior of the choir dome, by Jules-Claude Ziegler, depicts the history of Christianity, up to Napoleon's return in 1801 of the Christian churches of Paris, seized during the Revolution, to the Catholic Church.[24]
Built under Napoleon III by Paris chief architect Victor Baltard, it was the first Paris church to have a cast iron framework, which was gilded and made part of the decoration, It contains an abundance of polychrome decoration, and 19th-century art and stained glass.[25]
Located near the main department stores in the center of Paris, the church has a very austere neo-classical exterior but an interior richly decorated with paintings, murals and neoclassical stained glass.
Built under the patronage of Napoleon III,the church is noted for its highly-visible 65-meter tall belfry, and its harmonious and lavish interior decoration, including paintings, sculpture, and stained glass windows in the Beaux-Arts style or Second Empire Style. The composer Olivier Messiaen was organist of the church for sixty years.[26]
Located on the site where Saint Vincent de Paul l (1581–1660) carried out his mission of helping the poor. From 1831 onward, the architect was Jacques Hittorff, whose most famous later work was the Gare du Nord railway station. The interior features a frieze by Hippolyte Flandrin, called "The Mission of the Church, the length of the building on both sides, with one hundred thirty-five figures. The main altar is covered by a large baldequin or canopy, in the form of a triumphal arch. Looking down on the altar is a monumental bronze statue of the crucifixion, made by François Rude[27]
The 15th century interior was largely rebuilt in the 19th century to align with the new boulevards built around it by Napoleon III. The church is known for its collections of 19th and 20th century stained glass and its 19th century art.
The exterior is classical and austere, with an 18th century bell tower, while the interior displays the lavish French Baroque style of the 17th century. The arcades have rounded arches and pilasters with trompe-l'oeil channelling, joined with columns with Corinthian capitals, carved of travertine stone, and decorated with sculpted foliage and angels. The most unusual feature is the Chapel of the Souls in Purgatory, painted in trompe l'oeil in the 18th century to give it the illusion of depth.[28]|
The first church on the site was a convent chapel, built 1677. a new church was built in 1824, was burned by the Paris Commune in 1871, and was reconstructed on the same site in 1873. To replace the murals destroyed in the fire, the church received four large-scale murals by notable French 17th century religious painters, including Jacques Stella, Daniel Hallé and Charles de La Fosse
The church was designed by Paul Touron, and completed in 1935. It was inspired by Neo-Byzantine architecture, particularly the Hagia Sophia church in Istanbul.[30] The exterior is built of reinfonced concrete covered with brick from Burgundy, and topped by a 75 meter tall bell tower. The interior is decorated with murals created by Maurice Denis and the artists of the Ateliers d'Art Sacré devoted to a revival of Christian religious painting.[31]
The church was consecrated by Marie de Medicis in 1628. After the destruction caused by the Revolution, the interior was rebuilt and doubled in size by arhitect by Étienne-Hippolyte Godde (1781-1869), Architect of the City of Paris from 1813 to 1830. It is notable for its frescoes and its colorful 19th century stained glass.[32]
The church was built during the French Second Empire under Napoleon III in a rapidly growing working-class neighborhood, and took its name from the freight railroad nearby. The nave is dark and austere, but the choir is lavishly decorated with paintings and murals. It also contains an exceptional collection of early 20th century stained glass.[33]
The facade is largely in the Neo-Romanesque style. The most distinctive interior feature is the modern exposed steel framework, intended to make the factory workers of the neighborhood feel at home. The interior is lavishly decorated with frescoes, paintings, and sculpture of the period.[34]
Built by the architect Charles-Henri Besnard, it combines Gothic revival elements with modern construction materials, such as molded reinforced concrete. The interior is covered with Art Deco frescoes and murals.
The first parish church was built in the 11th century. The old church hosted the funerals of Guy de Maupassant in 1893 and Marcel Proust in 1922. The current church dates from 1938.[35]
The chapel was originally built as a memorial chapel for the heir to the French throne, Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans, who was killed in a road accident in 1842. In 1970 it was moved a short distance to make space for the new Palais des Congrès. It became a parish church in 1993. Its decoration includes stained glass windows designed by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, and sculpture by Henri de Triqueti[36]
An Art Deco church with the highest bell tower in Paris, an Art Deco porch. and an exceptional collection of Art Deco stained glass windows, sculpture and mosaic.[37]
The church, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Christ, is located at the highest point in Paris, It was first proposed in 1870 as penitence for the "Misfortunes of France", particularly the defeat of France in the Franco-German War of 1870.[38] The vast gilded and ceramic Neo-Byzantine mural in the dome, covering 475 square meters, illustrates the Celestial Kingdom of Christ.[39]
The church was formerly outside of Paris. The interior of the church dates to 1204, making it among the oldest in the city. Joan of Arc is said to have prayed in the chapel on the eve of her unsuccessful attempt in 1429 to recapture Paris from the English. The classical facade was added in the 18th century.
The church was the first in Paris to be built of reninforced concrete. It combines a novel interior built of steel with lavish Art Nouveau paintings and decoration
Built as a German Protestant church in 1861, it became a Russian Orthodox Church in 1924. A notable feature is the Iconostasis, with images of more than one hundred Russian saints.[40]
Mix of styles from the 12th, 15th and 17th centuries
Saint-Germain de Charonne is one of the oldest churches in Paris. It was originally the village church of Charonne, until the village was integrated into Paris in 1860. The church is one of only two in Paris that have retained their traditional cemeteries. A plaque in the cemetery marks the location of a mass burial of nearly 800 fédérés who fought with the insurrection during the Paris Commune.
^de Finance, Laurence (2012). La Sainte-Chapelle- Palais de la Cité (in French). Éditions du Patrimoine, Centre des Monuments Nationaux. p. 6. ISBN978-2-7577-0246-8.
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