“Could this be the entrance to a pagan temple?” someone asks. No, absolutely not. Welcome to the majestic Saint-Sulpice. This Catholic church stands in the 6th arrondissement. It is a testament to Parisian history and architectural grandeur. Saint-Sulpice is slightly smaller than Notre-Dame. It is the third-largest church in Paris. It is dedicated to Sulpitius the Pious.
Construction started in 1646. It replaced an older Romanesque church from the 13th century. Jean-Jacques Olier started the new building. He founded the Society of Saint-Sulpice. Anne of Austria laid the first stone.
The Fronde interfered with early construction. Only the Lady Chapel was complete by 1660. Daniel Gittard then provided a new design. He finished the sanctuary and transept. Lack of funds halted construction.
Gilles-Marie Oppenord and Giovanni Servandoni took over. They followed Gittard’s plans closely. They supervised the nave and side chapels. Oppenord also built a bell tower. It threatened to collapse the structure. He was then relieved of his duties.
Servandoni won a competition to design the west facade in 1732. He drew inspiration from Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London. The facade was incomplete at his death. Others continued the work. Jean Chalgrin rebuilt the north tower. The French Revolution stopped the completion of the south tower.
Look closely at the facade. Notice the mismatched towers. Servandoni’s pediment was removed after lightning struck it. It was replaced with a balustrade. A sign over the center door dates from the Revolution. It reads “The French people recognize the Supreme Being and the immortality of the soul”.
Step inside Saint-Sulpice. See the enormous shells given to King Francis I. They serve as holy water fonts. Jean-Baptiste Pigalle sculpted their bases. Pigalle also designed the statue of Mary in the Lady Chapel. It replaced a silver statue that vanished during the Revolution.
Charles de Wailly designed the Lady Chapel’s baroque interior. A fire had damaged it. The dome features a fresco by François Lemoyne. It depicts the Assumption of Mary. De Wailly also designed the pulpit.
Eugène Delacroix added murals to the Chapel of the Holy Angels. Famous murals include Jacob Wrestling with the Angel and Heliodorus Driven from the Temple. A third mural shows Saint Michael Vanquishing the Demon.
Saint-Sulpice has a renowned Great Organ. Aristide Cavaillé-Coll rebuilt it in 1862. It is considered his magnum opus. The organ features 102 speaking stops. It is one of the most impressive instruments of the romantic era. Sunday organ concerts take place regularly.
In 1727, a gnomon was constructed in Saint-Sulpice. It helps determine the date of Easter. A brass line runs across the floor. It ascends a white marble obelisk. Sunlight shines through a lens. It marks the solstices and equinoxes.
Many notable events have occurred here. The Marquis de Sade and Charles Baudelaire were baptized in Saint-Sulpice. Victor Hugo married Adèle Foucher here. Jacques Chirac’s funeral mass was held in the Saint-Sulpice.
Saint-Sulpice stands as a beacon. It has witnessed centuries of Parisian life. Its architecture and art tell a compelling story. From its mismatched towers to its hidden gnomon Saint-Sulpice invites exploration. Saint-Sulpice offers a unique glimpse into history faith and art.