Audio GuideChurch of Saint-Gervais

Welcome to Église Saint-Gervais, a historic Roman Catholic church in the heart of Paris near City Hall. This sacred place began as a worship site in the seventh century for boatmen and fishermen working near the river. Built on a small hill to escape the floods of the Seine, it became one of the first parish churches on the right bank.

Eric Brenard

The construction of the present church began in fourteen hundred and ninety-four and unfolded gradually over the centuries. Its Gothic interior, with a dramatic nave, vaulted ceiling, and intricate pointed arches, meets an innovative Baroque façade. The later façade, started in sixteen hundred and fourteen with a cornerstone laid by a young King Louis the Thirteenth, features three levels of classical columns: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.

Zig Zagueur

Inside, visitors find medieval choir stalls decorated with carvings of daily life, stunning stained glass windows, and artworks by well-known painters like Sebastiano Ricci and Claude Vignon. The church is famed for its antique organ from the beginning of the seventeenth century, once played by renowned Couperin family members.

Florinel Stanciu

Over time, Église Saint-Gervais witnessed major events, including a transformation during the French Revolution and a tragic incident in nineteen eighteen. Today, it is home to the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem, preserving a unique liturgical practice that continues to charm visitors from around the world.

Игорь А/С