 Montmartre / Sacré Coeur, Paris
Montmartre was a little village on the outskirts of the city of Paris until it was discovered by artists in the nineteenth century.
Montmartre is one of the few hills in Paris, and the views from the church square are magnificent. In fact, next to the Eiffel Tower, Sacré Coeur is the second highest point in Paris.
Montmartre still retains its village qualities. Old houses jostle together in its narrow lanes.
In the 19th century, artists liked the quality of light on this hill, out of the smoke, grime and noise ofthe centre of Paris. Many famous painters lived and worked here, Van Gogh, Lautrec, Seurat, Monet etc.
From all around Paris you can see Sacre Coeur sitting high on the hill of Montmartre . It is located in the North of Paris, 129 meters above sea level (200 meters from the Dome). The style of both the interior and exterior is Romano-Byzantine. The laying of the foundation stone began in 1875.
The Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart) Basilica (place of pilgrimage) is a really beautiful building. The metro stop for SC is about a 15 minute walk to the church. It is in a really charming area and the walk was very refreshing. The funicular to the church was out of order so we had to climb the 200 steps to the top. From outside the Basilica you could see over all of Paris.
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