Sacre Coœur
Sacre Cœur or sacred heart is a Catholic church dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus. It is one of the most visited locations in Paris, it appears on every top 10 list of places to visit along with the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Notre Dame.
It’s located at the top of the Butte Montmartre - a butte is an isolated hill with steep sides and a relatively flat top. You’ve probably already seen, It’s a very notable landmark over Paris because it’s significantly higher than the surroundings.
Montmartre is a great area to explore, you can follow my self guided tour that starts at the Moulin Rouge and ends here at the Sacre Cœur!
History of the Sacre Cœur
The first proposition to build a dedicated church came it 1870 from the Bishop of Nantes following the defeat of France and the capture of Emperor Napoleon III by the Prussians. Montmartre was selected as the new site because it’s visible from many parts of the city (it’s significantly higher) and because of the association with Saint Denis.
Saint Denis was the first bishop of Paris who was beheaded here. According to the legend, after he was beheaded he walked with his head in his hands to where the current Basilica de Saint Denis is (~7km/4.3miles away).
In 1873 the proposal was finally brought forward and approved in the National Assembly. In 1875 the project finally started.
Montmartre had been used for mining gypsum which only stopped in 1860. Because of this, the ground was very unstable. In order to support the church, they needed to dig over 80 wells which were over 30 meters deep which were then filled in order to create subterranean pillars.
The construction took so long that the estimated cost of 7 million francs was expended before any above ground construction became visible. A provisional chapel was consecrated in 1876, and pilgrimage quickly brought in additional funding.
In 1891 the interior of the basilica was completed, dedicated and opened for public worship, 16 years after the works started. The dome of the church was only completed in 1899 and the bell tower finished in 1914. It was only consecrated in 1919, after World War I.
Paris Commune controversies
There are some controversies related to the 1871 Paris Commune. Over a two month period the Commune governed Paris from Montmartre which promoted their own policies such as the separation of church and state and the abolition of child labour. This all came to an end in the Semaine Sanglante or the bloody week, where over 40,000 Communards were taken as prisoners, with thousands of them being killed.
Some journalists and politicians criticise the Sacre Cœeur with the destruction of the Commune (despite the initial proposition of the Sacre Cœur being a year before the Commune started). They say it’s in insult to memory of the Paris Commune. In 2004, the square in front of the Sacre Cœeur was renamed to Louise Michel, an active member in the Commune.
In 2021 leftist (socialists, communists and ecologists) members of the French parliament blocked a measure to declare the church a national historic monument to avoid celebrating the church’s history in the same year as the 150th anniversary of the Paris commune. In 2022 it was declared a national historic monument.
Visiting the Sacre Cœur
Visiting the Sacre Cœur is free. There’s almost always a line to enter, but it does move quite fast. This is a place of worship, so appropriate clothing should be worn. Masses are held multiple times a day.
Inside the church, take your time to really experience the building. When looking at the ceiling, it looks like there is a painting, but in fact it’s a mosaic! It’s one of the largest in the world!
There’s also the option to visit the dome which costs 5€. This will allow you to see over Paris from the second highest point, after the Eiffel Tower! There’s only one way to the top, that’s to climb the 280 stairs. The dome is open daily (with the exceptions of maintenance or bad weather), but it closes earlier than the church so it’s worth looking at the hours in advance if this is on your todo list.
Tips for the area
As with all touristy areas, there come with a certain risk of pickpockets and scams, so pay extra attention to your stuff. If you’re walking up through the garden then be aware of the ‘bracelet’ people. They will try and grab your wrist - you need to be very firm with them that you’re not interested. You can read more common Paris scams here.
Even if you chose to not go up the dome of the Sacre Cœur, I’d recommend sitting on the stairs. You get a great view of Paris from here (I like seeing how obnoxiously big centre Pompidou is). There are often street performers and I love love love street performers!
At night, there are fewer people and the view look different!
Book a tour
If you’re interested in a private tour of Montmartre or another area, you can contact me via email at contact@abisummers.com or click the link button below!