Sacré-Cœur: The Highlight of Montmartre

Continue past Place du Tertre to the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur, the highlight of any Montmartre visit. Even travelers short on time make a point of seeing it. "Sacré" means "sacred" and "cœur" means "heart," so the name translates as "Sacred Heart."

The basilica was built after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. As Paris, then besieged by Prussian forces, gradually lost strength, Alexandre Legentil and Hubert Lo vowed to build a church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Montmartre if Paris could be saved. After the war, the church was built in fulfillment of that vow. Modeled on Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, it is built in the Byzantine style, which makes it look quite unlike other churches in Paris. It has a domed structure, with mosaics decorating the interior. An equestrian statue stands in front of the façade, and behind the church a bell tower holds the largest bell in France.

Step inside and look toward the altar: the Christ figure there is said to be the largest mosaic of its kind in the world. You're struck by its splendor the moment you enter, and the closer you get, the more solemn the atmosphere feels. Below Christ, saints are depicted as well.

After your visit, step outside and take a look at the central door, which sits between the other entrances. Made of bronze, it depicts scenes of the Last Supper and the Nativity. Then turn around and look out over the city. Montmartre is a hill, Paris has no mountains, and the basilica sits at the very top, so the view from the front of the church is truly beautiful.