Sacre-Coeur
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre, universally known as Sacre-Coeur, gleams in white travertine atop the butte of Montmartre, the highest point in Paris. Conceived as a national act of penance and hope after the trauma of the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune, it was begun in 1875 to designs by Paul Abadie in an unusual Romano-Byzantine style, with rounded domes and arches that set it apart from the city's Gothic and Beaux-Arts landmarks.
The stone, quarried at Chateau-Landon, secretes calcite when it rains and so stays brilliantly white despite the weathering of age and pollution. Inside, one of the largest mosaics in the world depicts Christ in Majesty above the apse, and the basilica has maintained perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament continuously since 1885. Its dome and the steps below offer one of the finest panoramas across the rooftops of Paris.
Consecrated in 1919 after the First World War, Sacre-Coeur remains both a working basilica and one of the most visited monuments in the city, drawing crowds who wind up through the artists' quarter of Montmartre or ride the funicular to its threshold.
- Annual visitors
- ≈ 11,000,000
- Location
- 48.8865, 2.3431
- Local time
- 00:34 (Europe/Paris)
🕘 Visiting hours
| Mon–Sun | 06:30–22:30 |
Open every day without exception; free entry. Dome visit has separate seasonal hours.
✨ Saints & blessed venerated here
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Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque Saint
Visionary who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to which the basilica is dedicated; has a dedicated chapel here.
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Saint Joan of Arc Saint
Depicted kneeling at Christ's feet in the great apse mosaic; also a bronze equestrian statue on the facade.
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Saint Michael the Archangel Saint
Depicted in the apse mosaic 'Christ in Majesty' and has a dedicated side chapel.
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Saint Louis (Louis IX) Saint
French king with a dedicated chapel and an equestrian statue on the facade.
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The Virgin Mary Saint
Depicted in the apse mosaic beside Christ in Majesty.
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Saint Joseph Saint
Has a dedicated chapel among the apse chapels.
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Saint Francis of Assisi Saint
Has a dedicated chapel among the apse chapels.
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Saint Vincent de Paul Saint
French saint with a dedicated chapel in the apse.
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Saint Ignatius of Loyola Saint
Has a dedicated chapel among the apse chapels.
Care & donations
Archdiocese of Paris
Donations and candle offerings accepted; entry free
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