The Sacre-Coeur basilica, or the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, is located prominently at the summit of the butte of Montmartre, geographically the highest spot in Paris.
The construction of the chapel was initially commissioned in 1873, as a tribute to the 58,000 people who lost their lives during the Franco-Prussian War.
The archbishop of Paris also hoped the construction of the Sacre-Coeur Basilica would make amends for the crimes of the participants in the Communard movement of the time.
The building itself is made of French travertine stone, a limestone material which is responsible for the white appearance of the facade.
The basilica’s Romano-Byzantine architectural style incorporates nationalistic themes, including the portico, with two large bronze statues of the French saints Joan of Arc and King Saint Louis IX, both by sculptor Hippolyte Lefebvre.
The basilica’s 19-ton bell is one of the largest in the world, and commemorates the annexation of Savoy in 1860.
The grounds surrounding the Sacre-Coeur basilica include a meditation garden and fountain, and the top of the dome offers a spectacular view of the city of Paris, which is located predominantly to the south of the basilica itself.
