Saint-Sulpice: Lopsided Towers and Delacroix

Saint-Sulpice (Église Saint-Sulpice) is said to be the second-largest church in Paris after Notre-Dame, and it is the largest on the Left Bank. If you see two asymmetrical towers on the façade, you're in the right place.

The two towers are what you notice first. The north tower rises 73 meters, while the south tower was never finished because of funding problems and stands about 5 meters shorter. That lopsidedness gives the church a character of its own. It has also played an important role in recent history: after the 2019 fire at Notre-Dame and until its reopening in 2024, Saint-Sulpice reportedly hosted all the main Masses and events, serving as Paris's central church.

Entry is free. Step inside and look straight ahead to find the Lady Chapel. Set on the church's central axis, it is known for its grand 18th-century decoration, and its dome is adorned with a fresco by François Lemoyne. Turn around and you'll see the pipe organ, which is said to be one of the largest pipe organs in the world, built in the 18th century. In the middle of the church's left side is a gnomon, installed in 1743 to track the movement of the sun.

The one thing you shouldn't miss is the mural by the Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix. Just inside the entrance, in the far right corner, it decorates the Chapelle des Saints-Anges (Chapel of the Holy Angels), and it was the last major work Delacroix unveiled in his lifetime. It carries extra meaning because it was commissioned with French government support, as part of an effort to revive the faith and art that had declined after the Revolution. And you can see this masterpiece for free.

Feel free to explore the interior. The next stop, Pierre Hermé, is about a one-minute walk: turn your back to the church, head out to the main street and go left.