Sacré-Coeur Basilica
Sacré-Coeur Basilica is a sacred Roman Catholic basilica in the French capital Paris. Literally translated, the name of the temple means "Sacred Heart". The beautiful Sacre Coeur Cathedral is located in the Paris neighborhood of Montmartre, which is considered one of the most charismatic places in the French capital with its great atmosphere and architecture.
The Sacred Heart of Paris, Sacré-Coeur Basilica, dominates the surrounding cityscape, with its magnificent white facade. Against the backdrop of the vast heritage of Paris, the magnetic temple is relatively one of the latest masterpieces being erected at the beginning of last century.
Sacre Coeur Cathedral is built on the hill Montmartre and is today one of the most visited landmarks in the French capital. Just see her picture perfect snow-white facade to find out why.
In front of the temple is a large playground and a huge staircase that leads to it. Today this place in front of Sacré-Coeur Basilica is more than lively at any time of day. During the day, among the many foreign tourists, it is full of French pensioners, young mothers with children and skateboarders. Evening young Parisians gather here with guitars.
Sacré-Coeur Basilica has a dramatic story. The holy white basilica was built entirely with donations from local people. There are stories that say that the temple is a fact due to immigrants and prostitutes of Paris neighborhoods, which by their holy work had a desire to identify themselves in Parisian society.
In fact, fund raising for Sacré-Coeur basilica was done in a very interesting way. Everybody was able to buy a stone, on which later can be inscribed his initials. The whole project cost more than 40 million francs.
On July 25 1873, the National Assembly adopts a decision to build the Sacre Coeur Cathedral and the first soil turn was officially on June 18, 1875, in the presence of the President of the Republic - Marshal Mac-Mahon.
At the ceremony in the foundations of the future temple were laid a bronze medallion, with "France presents the Mon martyr Basilica of Christ" inscribed, a bag of French medals from the Franco-Prussian War and the parchment with the protocol. Sacré-Coeur Basilica was completed in 1914, but officially consecrated on October 16, 1919 after the outbreak of WWI.
Sacré-Coeur Basilica is 85 meters long, 35 meters wide and 83.33 meters high. Its unique white color is due to building material that comes from Chateau Landon. Under the influence of rain water, it separates a white substance - calcium, from which the facade of the Sacre Coeur is now snow-white.
The basilica was built entirely in Romano-Byzantine style, in the form of a Greek cross, ending with four domes. The central dome reaches 80 meters in height and is beautifully decorated with windows. The whole temple consists of a large central rotunda, chapels and many large crypts.
Sacré-Coeur Basilica impresses with its unique colorful glass. On both sides of the cathedral entrance are placed equestrian statues of St. Joan of Arc and St. Louis, which were made by Lefebvre. Inside the Sacré-Coeur, you can see valuable statues and a silver statue of the Lord and His Heart, made by Eugene Bennett, and a silver statue of the Mother of God with the infant in her arms, cast by Paul Brunet in 1876.
