Gazing up at Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix, imagine the bustling energy of 19th-century Paris swirling around its base. This imposing structure, with its blend of neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic styles, has witnessed a lot of history. Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix sits proudly in Ménilmontant, in the 20th arrondissement. It’s hard to believe that this grand edifice, the fourth largest church in Paris, started as a humble chapel.
In the early 1800s, Ménilmontant was a small hamlet under the care of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville church. As the population grew, a small chapel named Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix was built in 1823. This chapel served the community until the mid-19th century. Then, it became too small for the burgeoning parish. Imagine the growing pains, the need for a larger space to gather and worship.
Construction on the current Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix began in 1863, under the reign of Napoleon III. Architect Louis-Jean-Antoine Hérêt envisioned a magnificent structure that would dominate the Ménilmontant skyline. The church’s location on a steep hill presented a challenge. Hérêt ingeniously designed a 54-step staircase leading to the grand façade, a fitting approach to this impressive building. The construction took seventeen years, finally completing in 1880. However, the church opened its doors for worship much earlier, in 1869.
Interestingly, the church’s name, Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix, is believed to be connected to a statue of the Virgin Mary. This statue was originally housed in a Ménilmontant establishment owned by the Brothers of the Holy Cross. These canons regular had their Paris headquarters on the rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie, a building sadly destroyed during the French Revolution.
Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix boasts impressive dimensions: 97 meters long, 38 meters wide, and 20 meters high under the nave’s vault. Its 78-meter-high bell tower pierces the sky, a beacon visible for miles. The church even played a role during the Paris Commune. In 1871, it became a meeting place for communards, and it was within these very walls that the death of the Archbishop of Paris, Monseigneur Darboy, was voted upon.
Inside, Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix is equally impressive. Hérêt boldly embraced modern technology, incorporating a visible metal structure beneath the nave’s vaults. The church is also home to a magnificent Cavaillé-Coll organ, built in 1874. This organ, with its three manuals and 26 stops, is known for its exceptional sound quality. Look closely, and you’ll notice how the organ’s case is uniquely divided to allow for the passage of the bells and to showcase the grand rose window.
Today, Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix stands as a testament to the architectural ambition of the Second Empire and the resilient spirit of the Ménilmontant community. Its story, woven into the fabric of Parisian history, continues to unfold within these soaring walls.