A guide to some of the most significant churches and religious buildings to explore in the Montmartre and Pigalle neighbourhoods.

Churches & Religious Buildings - Montmartre, Pigalle, Paris

Basilica Sacré-Coeur

The iconic domed church resting at the top of Montmartre, the stairs that lead up to the church now a popular tourist spot to overlook the city of Paris, this has been a place of prayer since the Pagan days. Formally housing Gallo-Roman temples, the location of this basilica has long been a home to places of worship.

The Sacré-Coeur as the world knows it now was built in response to the country’s upheaval after the French Revolution and the Franco-Prussian War – the belief being that a new cathedral would bolster the people’s spirits. The location was chosen for its symbolism, as the patron saint of Paris – Saint Denis – was beheaded on this spot yet believed to walk down the hill carrying his severed head. While unlikely, the symbolism of a leader losing their head, felt relevant after the monarchy had loss their heads less than century beforehand.

The basilica was designed in Romanesque-Byzantine style, with construction starting in the late 19th century and ending right before the onset of World War I, delaying the consecration of this holy site until after the war and the threat of the Spanish Flu subsided. Since opening to the public, work has been done on the basilica, whether adding more to further impress visitors or replacing stained glass windows after destroyed by bombing in the World War II.

Now visitors flock there to see the famed mosaic, both see and listen to the organ, or to explore the crypts (which do have an entry fee). While easy to explore on one’s own – albeit a bit crowded – it’s great with the free audio-guide, which provides a rich history and elaborates on unique details of the basilica’s construction and architecture.

Practical Information: The basilica is open daily from 6am to 10:30pm, though entrance to the dome and crypt has limited hours. The Dome, which is accessed via 300+ steps, is open from 8:30am-8pm daily during peak season, and from 9am-5pm during winter months (Oct-April). Currently, the Crypt is not open to the public. Entrance to the basilica is free. Please note that hours can/may change, check HERE for the most up-to-date information.

How to Get There: On top of a hill, there are a few ways to get to the Basilica Sacré-Coeur. The closest métro station is Abbesses (M12), which will let you off closest to the neighbourhood’s centre. The most charming route is to get off at stations Pigalle (M2 or M12) near the Moulin Rouge, Blanche (M2) or Anvers (M2) and walk your way up to Montmartre – this might start a little gritty at the base stations but will quickly turn charming as your trek upwards. There is also the option on a funicular that can take you up hill and let you off near the basilica, but this is the least desirable option and not recommended.

Église Saint-Pierre de Montmartre

Often ignored or skipped for the Basilica Sacré-Coeur, this church is one of the oldest in Paris, built in the 12th century. Built on the site of an old Roman temple dedicated to Mars and replacing a later Merovingian church from the 7th century, Saint-Pierre was originally a Benedictine Abbey, the grounds consecrated by Pope Eugenius III. Though the original building was somewhat lost to a fire in the 16th century, a newer church was built right by the original, connect the two abbeys; the older building partially restored. Of course over the years, with new additions, changes, and complications from history, traces of the original 12th century building are hard to find.

While no longer an abbey, Saint-Pierre remains a functioning church. Sadly the last abbess was put to the guillotine during the French Revolution, the nuns slaughtered. But after restoration projects in the 18th and 19th century, Saint-Pierre entered a new and far less grim chapter. Now you can go to admire the stained glass windows, the architecture, the Romanesque columns, while also sneaking a peak at the cemetery next door or glimpsing the vineyard just outside.