Explore Religious Heritage Across Europe

Notre Dame is one of the most eminent churches in the world, and the symbol of the city of Paris. It has become the theatre to some of the most notorious novels in literature, celebrated by writers and artists including Victor Hugo. The cathedral was built by the meanderings of the river Seine- in the Île de la Cité- in the early days of the gothic era. Although the monument is a great example of early gothic style, the influence of the Romanesque school is still visible. In 2019, the church was badly damaged by a fire.

The church of Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil is located on the site of the former chapel of the Maison des Frères de Saint Vincent de Paul. The church was completed in 1898 and became a parish in 1948.

The current building of the Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle church is the third place of worship to be built on the site. In 1551, a first chapel was built, which was destroyed in 1590 by the Catholic League during the siege of Paris by Henry IV. In April 1628, Queen Anne of Austria laid the foundation stone for a new church, which became a parish in 1673. It became national property in 1791, was sold in 1797 to three parishioners, and then bought by the city of Paris in 1803. Following the damage suffered during the Revolution, it threatened to fall into ruin and the decision was taken to rebuild it. Étienne-Hippolyte Godde, an architect for the Paris municipality who also designed the churches of Saint-Denys-du-Saint-Sacrement and Saint-Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou in the French capital, was commissioned to rebuild it.

Sainte-Anne de la Butte-aux-Cailles was built between 1894 and 1912 on the former Bréa chapel, built in memory of General Jean Baptiste Fidèle Bréa, who died during the days of June 1848. The church, in Romanesque-Byzantine style, was designed by the architect Prosper Bobin and built on the bank of the Bièvre.

Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church was built at the end of the 15th century on the site of a 13th-century church, but its rich Renaissance façade was not completed until 1624. Until the French Revolution, the church housed the relics of Sainte Geneviève, patron saint of Paris. The church also houses an organ from the 1630s.

The church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre is a medieval church built in the 12th century on the site of a primitive basilica destroyed by the Vikings. The priory to which the church was attached has long been prosperous, and the church has even hosted courses from the University of Paris. In the 17th century, the priory fell into decay and the church fell into disrepair. In the middle of the 17th century, the church and priory were given to the Hôtel-Dieu de Paris, which turned the church into a chapel. The French Revolution led to its transformation into a warehouse, a situation that lasted until 1826. Then Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre became a hospital chapel again until 1873. Since 1888, the Greek-Catholic Melkite community made the church its parish church. It remains the centre of the life of the Greek-Catholic Melkite parish in Paris.

The construction of the Basilica of Saint Genevieve (a decision taken following Louis XV's vow) began in 1756 and was completed in 1790: the foundations were laid between 1756 and 1764 and the first stone was laid in 1764. Jacques-Germain Soufflot was the architect, assisted by Jean-Baptiste Rondelet, site manager, and Maximilien Brébion. After the Revolution, the building was transformed into a temple dedicated to great men and took the name of Pantheon.

Sainte-Chapelle is a palatine chapel built in 1241-1248 at the request of King Saint-Louis. It is an emblematic building of the radiant Gothic. With the Conciergerie, it is one of the remains of the city's palace, which has extended to the site that houses the current courthouse. The Sainte-Chapelle was classified as a historical monument since 1862, a year before the completion of its restoration.

The origins of the church of Saint-Eustache go back to the beginning of the 13th century. A chapel dedicated to Saint Agnes was the first building to be constructed. A crypt bearing this name is still attached to the church on the east side. In 1223, Sainte Agnès was erected as a parish and took the name of Saint-Eustache. The construction of the present church, however, only began in 1532 and lasted until 1633. The church was then partially rebuilt in 1754. Many Parisian personalities are buried in the church cemetery, among them Marie de Gournay (1565 - 1645), one of the few women to live from writing in Europe at that time. Her famous writings include "L'égalité des hommes et des femmes" (1622).

The church of St. Severin has been a parish church since the 9th century. The Gothic building dates mainly from the 15th century when the church had to be rebuilt after the previous one burnt down. However, the bell tower, the three western bays and parts of the façade have been preserved from the 13th-century building. The ambulatory, which is doubled in size due to the five naves, is considered to be the most architecturally valuable part of the church, while the modern stained glass windows are certainly one of the church's attractions.