What better to talk about before Valentine’s Day coming up in four days, than a church named “The Sacred Heart Basilica?”
Located on the only hill in Paris, named Montmartre (hill of martyrs), the Sacré-Cœur Basilica is connected to the myth of Saint Denis from last week’s blog. Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris, became a martyr when beheaded on Montmartre, and proceeded to walk to the place of Saint-Denis.
But the reason behind the Church’s construction is in more recent history. In 1870, France was at war with Prussia, who had one of the strongest militaries in European history. A group of highly influential persons in Paris pledged to build a church there if France won. Sadly, Prussia defeated them, yet the National Assembly still authorized the creation of a church.
I mean, nothing says Valentine’s Day love like martyrdom and war, right?
On the way from Saint Denis to Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur, I passed by the famous Moulin Rouge: birthplace of the can-can dance and home of the cabaret. I would not suggest going through this neighborhood alone, it was very seedy. Our tour guide had to tell a group of men who were talking and looking at us, that there were minors in our group. While that wasn’t entirely true, they then ignored us, not wanting the added trouble of anything to do with minors.
Quickly enough, I found myself at the bottom of Montmartre, not looking forward to the long walk up the hill. The panoramic view at the top definitely made the trek worth it, as well as the picturesque neighborhoods of Montmartre. Full of cafés, old world charm, cobblestone paths, and streets of quaint, touristy shops.
After spending a relaxing afternoon wandering around, grabbing a snack at a café, and buying souvenirs, it was time to go inside the Sacré-Cœur!
The inside nave of the church is freely open to the public. It has over 11.5 million visitors per year- France’s second most visited church after Notre Dame. The viewing dome and crypt below are available at a small price. And if my lack of pictures serves my memory correctly, no photography is allowed. Nevertheless the holy, quiet ambiance inside was surreal. For the religious it’s a place of pilgrimage, where the Eucharist has been adored day and night for 125 years! Also inside, there is a grand pipe organ, a plethora of colorful mosaics, stained glass windows, and Roman-styled architecture.
When we visited they were doing quite a bit of construction in the crypts. I think they were having mass when we visited.