Audio GuideParoisse Notre-Dame de Lorette
Neoclassical church from the early 19th century, with marble & gold interiors & an oak pulpit.
Church
Paris, France
Welcome to Paroisse Notre-Dame de Lorette, a neoclassical parish church that has stood proudly in Paris’s vibrant ninth arrondissement since the early nineteenth century. Construction began in eighteen twenty-three, under King Louis XVIII, and was completed in eighteen thirty-six during the reign of Louis-Philippe. The church replaced an earlier chapel known since the mid-seventeenth century and has witnessed many chapters of Parisian history—from the turbulent French Revolution to serving as a temporary barracks and prison during the Paris Commune.
Designed by architect Louis-Hippolyte Lebas, the building follows a basilical plan with no external transept. Its façade features a triangular pediment adorned with sculptures of the Virgin Mary, the Child, and statues representing Charity, Hope, and Faith. Inside, you will encounter richly painted murals delivered by a unique wax fresco technique that brings durability to the decorative elements, enhanced in times past by modern gas lighting.
The church is also linked to noted cultural figures. For example, composer Georges Bizet and painter Claude Monet were baptized here, and artist Gustave Caillebotte rests in its crypt. Today, recognized as a historical monument since nineteen eighty-four, Notre-Dame de Lorette continues to undergo restoration, affirming its importance to the artistic and religious heritage of Paris.
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