Audio GuideBasilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre

High above Montmartre, at the very centre of Paris’s historic artists’ district, rises the gleaming white dome of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur. From this vantage point, the city stretches out in all directions, while lively streets bustle below. Completed just over a century ago, this iconic church weaves together threads of faith, bold architecture, and echoes of France’s dramatic history.

jean emmanuel Pepers

The basilica was conceived as a beacon of hope and a symbol of national penance after years of turmoil, above all the Franco-Prussian War and the upheaval of the Paris Commune. Built from luminous travertine, which becomes even brighter in the rain, its rounded domes evoke the majesty of ancient Byzantine and Romanesque cathedrals, combined with touches of neo-Renaissance style. The three-arched entrance is guarded by bronze statues of Saint Joan of Arc and King Saint Louis the Ninth, while a striking figure of Christ welcomes all who enter.

Mubinur Rahman

What truly sets the site apart is the remarkable feat beneath it. The hill of Montmartre is riddled with old quarries, so engineers had to anchor the basilica by sinking dozens of deep concrete pillars underneath both the church and the hill itself. In doing so, they not only stabilised the basilica, but also reinforced the very hill beneath Paris’s feet.

tim deridder

Step inside and you are greeted by a Greek cross layout bathed in gentle light. In the apse shines the largest mosaic in France, its golden gleam illuminating the interior. Stained glass windows add colour, and a grand pipe organ fills the space with sound. Here, age-old traditions continue: for nearly one hundred and fifty years, believers have gathered for unbroken adoration, ensuring that the basilica remains the beating heart of faith.

Christophe Danquigny

Climb the winding stairs to the dome, or take the funicular, for a breathtaking view stretching far across Paris’s rooftops. In the nearby bell tower hangs Savoyarde, one of the largest bells in Europe, quietly watching over the city. The basilica’s travertine stone was quarried from the same sites that provided the stone for the Arc de Triomphe—a further link to the nation’s monumental past.

SAM PETER

The radiant domes and serene interiors of the Sacré-Cœur are more than a Parisian landmark—they are a testament to the resilience, imagination, and spirit that shape both Montmartre and France itself.