Tourist Information
It was in 1874 that it was decided that a church would be built in Paris dedicated to expiating the horrors of the Commune as well as the defeat of France in the war it had fought against Prussia. It was on the Montmartre hill, in the north of the capital, that the Sacré-Coeur Basilica found its place. From the parvis in front of the Basilica, there is an exceptional view over Paris. The Sacré-Coeur ("Sacred Heart") owes its name to the fact that it is entirely dedicated to the heart of Christ. The bravest of you, who climb the 237 steps that lead to the Dome of the Sacré-Coeur over 200 metres above ground level, will be rewarded with a privileged panoramic view of 50 kilometres around. The Sacré-Coeur contains a superb mosaic, the world's largest. 475 m² covering the ceiling of the apse, a work representing Jesus glorified. It is also in this Basilica that the largest bell in France can be found. Cast in Annecy in 1895 it measures 3 metres in diameter! To visit this exceptional building, simply climb the long lines of steps that lead to the top of the Butte Montmartre ... or take the funicular!
