Saint-Sulpice is the second largest Church in Paris, and at 113 metres long, 58 metres in width and 34 metres tall, it is only slightly smaller than Notre-Dame.
Building of the church started in 1646. Its neo-classical facade, modelled on St Paul's cathedral in London, was added in 1732 by French theatrical designer and architect, Servandoni. The church was consecrated in 1745. The Work on the Church towers continued until 1780, but only the Church's Southern Tower was completed.
The first chapel on the right is named "The Chapel of the Angels" and contains three frescoes by the Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix.
"The Chapel of the Madonna," decorated in Rococo style by Servandoni, contains a graceful statue of the Madonna and Child carved by the French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle.
The church contains one of the world's largest organs, comprising of 6,700 pipes.
Another notable feature of the church was made famous by Dan Brown's novel "The Da-Vinci Code." The novel claims that the brass line inlaid on the floor of the church is a 'Rose Line,' that was part of an ancient Pagan temple dedicated to the goddess Isis, which today has connections with a secret occult society, 'The Priory of Sion." However, the truth is more prosaic, the brass line is merely part of a sun dial constructed by the English clock-maker and astronomer Henry Sully in 1743.
Prices
Admission: Free
Opening Times
Daily: 7:30am - 7:30pm
Address
Rue St-Sulpice
75006 Paris
Tel: 01 42 34 59 98
How to Get There
Métro: Saint-Sulpice on line 4
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