Why are some churches called a Basilica and others a Cathedral?
As it happens a Cathedral is a principle church within a diocese and one run by the bishop. A Basilica on the other hand is a status awarded to any church by the Pope, usually because it has some sort of architectural, historical, or spiritual significance.
The Sacre Coeur Basilica located in the Montmartre district of Paris is definitly worthy of the title Basilica. It is a beautiful building and a beautiful work of architecture.
It's a really beautiful site when it first comes into view, especially if you approach it from the bottom of the hill that it was built upon. From there you can see it standing tall in all its glory.
Walk up the large staircase out front and find ample photos opportunities.
Perhaps you can grab a bench for an impromptu shoto session.
The dual cement staircases are a pretty neat design feature in and of themselves.
Also be sure to look back periodically at the view of the city. It gets better and better the higher up you go. At the top of the platform you can see just how large and expansive the city of Paris really is.
History and Other Fun Facts
Construction of the church was completed in the year 1914 and took 39 years in total to build. Something interesting to note is that it is the second highest point in the city. The church itself is only 91 meters tall but it is built upon a 130 meter tall hill which brings it close to as high as the Eiffel tower.
Sacre Coeur is the second most visited church in France next to the Notre Dame, though in my opinion Sacre Coeur is much more unique and interesting. All of the Notre Dames look almost exactly the same but I haven't seen a single other church in France that looks like Sacre Coeur. It is a truly unique building.
Nonetheless the church is still ranked second, receiving only 10 million visitors each year compared to Notre Dames 13 million.
Another interesting fact is that the churches bell weighs 19 tons and is one of the heaviest church bells in the world. Who knew?
Interior
The church is free to enter so you may as well go inside when you visit.
It boast an impressive tile mosaic ceiling depicting Jesus and other images.
You get glimpses of it from various angles as you walk around the perimeter of the interior.
It's really quite nice, wouldn't you say?
Like most churches, there are a ton of stained glass windows inside.
When the light hits them right they shine colorful light through the space and onto the floor.
There are also a ton of candles inside which create a nice calming and peaceful atmosphere.
See, look how calm it is inside - Grandpa fell asleep mid sentence...
Don't wake him, he gets grumpy when you wake him from his nap.
Despite there being so many people visiting the church, it is still possible to find a few empty places among the many nooks and crannies, so walk around and explore a little.
This space just looks so warm and cozy to me.
Architecture
The church was designed by architect Paul Abadie in the Neo-Byzantine architecture style. Its a style that became popular in the 1840s to the begining of the 1920s.
The style is characterized most by a large domed roof sitting on top of a square base.
Other prominent features of the style include pendentives and squinches, which are supports that hold the domed ceiling onto the square base and distribute the weight appropriately.
The pendentives are the arch portion and the squinches are what hold the dome up.
A Quincunx is another feature of the style. This is five pointed domes arranged in a square cross pattern with a larger one in the center. It's basically like pips on a dice.
Tile mosaics, high windows and lofty interior spaces are other prominent features of the style,
though those features can also be found in just about any church of any design it seems.
I really liked looking at the geometry of the ceiling when I was there. There was so much going on.
Something that I never did but what is an option is to pay a small fee to climb to the top of the bell tower. I bet the view of the city from that height would be absolutely incredible.
The Sacre Coeur was my favorite monument in the Montmartre District and possibly in Paris as a whole. It's easy to see why it received the title of Basilica, even when you first get a glimpse of it. It's a truly remarkable building in so many ways. Be sure to put it on your list of places to visit on your next trip to the city.
Well thats it for now. Until next time, thanks for stopping by.
This post was written in my own words but of course I did use some online sources for some of the facts listed throughout. Below are the sources that I used in case you'd like to read more about this magnificent church... I mean Basilica. Also, special thanks to my sister for providing some of the photos.