Beneath the present-day street lies a story of faith, art, and revolution connected to the Chapelle Saint-Sauveur. Imagine if you could peel back the layers of time. You would find yourselves standing before a magnificent church. It stood proudly at the corner of Rue Saint-Sauveur and Rue Saint-Denis. This was not just any church. This was the Saint-Sauveur church, a Catholic church with roots stretching back to the 13th century.
The Chapelle Saint-Sauveur started as a simple chapel. It was near a tower. Thus it was originally called the Chapelle de la Tour. As Paris grew, the chapel found itself within the city walls. By the 14th century, it had become a parish church. In the early 16th century, during the reign of François 1er, the Saint-Sauveur church was expanded. But the story doesn’t end there.
Fast forward to the late 1700s. Plans were drawn to enlarge the Saint-Sauveur church. In 1787, it was demolished. Reconstruction began under the architect Bernard Poyet. By 1790, Saint-Sauveur remained one of Paris’s 51 urban parishes. The French Revolution halted construction. The Saint-Sauveur church was never completed. The unfinished structure was torn down.
The Chapelle Saint-Sauveur was not only a place of worship. It was also a repository of art. A chapel of the Virgin was added in 1713. It was adorned by the talents of Blondel, le Moyne, and Coypel. Its trompe-l’oeil ceiling was celebrated as a marvel of perspective.
The Saint-Sauveur church was the final resting place for actors. These performers graced the stage at the Hôtel de Bourgogne. Among them were Turlupin, Gaultier-Garguille, Gros-Guillaume, and Guillot-Gorju. These actors had a unique talent. They needed few words to evoke laughter.
Today, the Rue Saint-Sauveur stands where the church once did. A sign marks the historical location of the Saint-Sauveur church. It is one of a series of signs. They describe historical places in Paris. The signs are called sucettes Starck. Philippe Starck designed them. The sign depicts the church. It ensures the Saint-Sauveur church is not forgotten.
Two notable figures were baptized at the Saint-Sauveur church. Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was baptized here. He was a writer. André-Jacques Garnerin was also baptized here. He was an aeronaut. The Chapelle Saint-Sauveur may be gone but its history remains.