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Why you'll love the Sacred Heart Basilica
As the city of Paris is still sleeping, as most tourists are still in bed, and as the sun is beginning to slowly rise, walk up the flight of stairs until you reach the top.
With a croissant in hand, you sit under a blanket as the sun slowly spills over the beautiful city of Paris. To your left, the sun is slowly shining on the Bastille, in front of you lies the very Parisian area of Montmartre with the many chimneys poking out of the rooftops, and to your right, the Eiffel Tower is still in the dark. To be at the Sacred Heart at such an early time is truly special and worth the few missed hours of sleep!
The Sacred Heart is not your average church. Imagine a church sitting at the highest point on the most northern side of Paris and that looks more like the Taj Mahal than your typical gothic European church. Inside, more than 2,000 prayer candles and incense give it a mystical feel. It is truly a beautiful monument set in the most Parisian areas of Paris and worth your visit.
A little
bit of history about the Sacred Heart Basilica
The Sacred Heart Basilica was built to give thanks for the end of the Franco-Prussian war in the late 1800’s. It also commemorates the patron saint of Paris, Saint Denis, who had been killed on this exact location in the 3rd century.
Take Metro 2 to the stop ANVERS and use the only exit there is. Take the street to your right (Rue de Steinkerque) and walk straight until you are at the bottom of the Sacred Heart.
We highly recommend being at the Sacred Heart for a sunrise during your stay. But be aware that although the gates at the bottom of the Sacred Heart are open, once at the top, they are closed. Instead, take the stairway on your far left. (Near the funicular, which is also open in the early morning and costs one metro ticket.)
If you do decide to go there during the day, just be aware that because it is a highly visited monument, there are many pick-pockets (more than at any other monument).
The money to build this basilica was raised and donated by the French population, but a few years into the building, the French government took responsibility for the cost. In the end, it cost over 40 million francs to build. The architect who built the basilica, Paul Abadie, was chosen as the winner of the contest but unfortunately died when only the foundation had been laid. The basilica was finished in 1914 but because of World War I, it was never consecrated until the end of the war in 1919.
When you are inside, look for a few of the special features of Sacred Heart: one of the world’s largest mosaics, one of the world’s heaviest bells weighing in at 19 tons, and a special meditation garden.
When you are inside, look for a few of the special features of Sacred Heart: one of the world’s largest mosaics, one of the world’s heaviest bells weighing in at 19 tons, and a special meditation garden.
