Sacré-Cœur, Paris
| Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre | |
|---|---|
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre | |
The Basilica of Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre, as seen from the base of the butte Montmartre. Square Louise-Michel can be seen in the foreground. | |
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre | |
| Location | Paris, France |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | www |
| History | |
| Status | Minor basilica |
| Consecrated | 1919 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Paul Abadie |
| Groundbreaking | 1875 |
| Completed | 1914 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 85 metres (279 ft) |
| Width | 35 metres (115 ft) |
| Height | 83 metres (272 ft) |
| Materials | Travertine stone |
| Administration | |
| Province | Archdiocese of Paris |
| Official name | Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre |
| Type | Classé |
| Designated | 2022 |
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre (French: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre), commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica (French: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur) or simply Sacré-Cœur (French: Sacré-Cœur, pronounced [sakre kœr]), is a Catholic church and minor basilica in Paris dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Sacré-Cœur Basilica is located at the summit of the butte of Montmartre. From its dome two hundred meters above the Seine, the basilica overlooks the entire city of Paris and its suburbs. It is the second most popular tourist destination in the capital after the Eiffel Tower.
The basilica was first proposed by the former Bishop of Nantes, Felix Fournier, in 1870, after France's defeat and Napoleon III's capture at the Battle of Sedan in the Franco-Prussian War. Attributing the defeat to the country's moral decline since the French Revolution, he proposed a new Parisian church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Although proposed before the Paris Commune, its prominent hilltop location—overlooking the site of the uprising—has made it controversial among some French left-wing politicians who view it as a symbol of the repression of the Communards.
The basilica was designed by Paul Abadie, whose neo-Byzantine-Romanesque plan was selected from among seventy-seven proposals. Construction began in 1875 and continued for forty years under five different architects. Completed in 1914, the basilica was formally consecrated in 1919 after World War I. It was formally approved as a monument historique on 8 December 2022.
Sacré-Cœur Basilica has maintained perpetual adoration of the Holy Eucharist since 1885. The site is traditionally associated with the martyrdom of Saint Denis, the patron saint of Paris.