On April 15, 2019, a massive fire broke out in Notre Dame de Paris, the most iconic church in the French capital and arguably the most famous Catholic church on the planet. Hundreds of thousands of people tuned in to watch with horror as flames engulfed the Gothic structure. The good news, though, is that the church was saved and has been restored.
There are nearly 200 other churches in the city of Paris. Some of them are specific to a demographic of parishioners: there are churches for the city’s Polish speaking population, for example, as well as for Portuguese and Spanish speakers. There are new churches and mostly there are centuries-old places of worship that are designed to stop you in your tracks, created to induce awe.
You could, in fact, spend weeks in Paris by going on a church crawl, spending time gazing at the facade and then hours inside gawking at the stained glass windows, the dramatic paintings, and the larger-than-life sculptures. You could also take a guided tour to get a real insider’s view of some of the City of Light’s most famous places of worship, such as Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle.
In the meantime, here is a list to get you revved up about the most famous churches in Paris.
Notre Dame
When one thinks of Paris, Notre Dame might be the second or third building people imagine, after the Eiffel Tower and, maybe, the Arc de Triomphe. After a devastating fire in 2019, the city’s only official cathedral has been put back together and getting ready to shine once again.
Located on the Ile de la Cité, an island in the middle of the Seine River, the Gothic cathedral was built in the 12th and 13th centuries. Today the cathedral sits on a spot where a pre-Christian pagan temple of Jupitor once stood.
Sainte-Chapelle
Located on the same island as Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle might be the second most famous church in the City of Light. The 13th-century Gothic church is particularly well known for its tall stained glass windows, beaming all manner of colored light into the interior.
During the Hundred Years War in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Holy Foreskin—the only piece of flesh Christ could have conceivably left on Earth—found a home at Sainte-Chapelle before it was taken to the town of Coulombs in the south of France where it still resides to this day.
Sacre Coeur
Sitting atop Montmartre, Sacre Coeur is one of the most iconic churches in Paris. Built on the site of a church that was destroyed during the French Revolution, Sacre Coeur was completed in 1919, making it one of the newer churches in Paris.
Many people climb up the hill to the church for the views but don’t miss stepping inside to marvel at the gold leaf interior. If you’re hungry from all that walking be sure to check out some of the amazing restaurants in Montmartre on your way back.
Saint-Eustache
The second-largest church in Paris—sandwiched between Notre Dame and St. Sulpice—16th-century Saint-Eustache is located in the first arrondissement of Paris near Les Halles, the large food market in central Paris.
Once inside, don’t miss the 1611 painting “The Disciples of Emmaus” by Peter Paul Rubins. The massive organ with 8,000 pipes is also a noteworthy attraction here.
Saint-Denis
You’ll have to trek to the northern suburbs of Paris to see Saint-Denis, but it’s worth it. After all, it is the resting place for many of France’s monarchs—32 queens and 43 kings, to be exact. The Gothic basilica saw its first royal burial here in the late 5th century and the last was Louis XVIII in 1825.
And while you should definitely not miss visiting the crypt, make sure you spend some time gawking at the marvel stained glass.
Saint Germain des Prés
The oldest church in Paris, Saint Germain des Prés has foundations that date back to the sixth century. The church is located in the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank. The simple Romanesque interior belies the splendor that awaits the visitor inside. The Baroque interior and the blue-ceiling on the nave are a sight to behold.
In September 1792 during the French Revolution that church was the site of much bloodshed. Priests who refused to swear an oath of allegiance to the Revolution were escorted to the church garden and executed.
Saint Étienne du Mont
Located on the church-crammed Left Bank of Paris, just a cobblestone’s throw from the Pantheon, Saint Étienne du Mont (Place Sainte-Geneviève) was built in the 15th century.
The architecture is an intriguing mix of late Gothic and early Renaissance. Inside the church, note the stained glass depiction of the Apocalypse. The church is also home to the shrine of St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris.
Saint-Sulpice
Located in the Latin Quarter in the sixth arrondissement, Saint-Sulpice was already on the church lover’s list of places to visit while in Paris. But in 2003, it received a whole new audience: fans of Dan Brown’s thrilling novel “The Da Vinci Code.”
Three years later, the fanaticism grew when a film adaptation starring Tom Hanks hit movie theaters. The reason is that a major plot point of the story (literally) goes through Saint-Sulpice. But besides fictional Vatican conspiracy theories, the church is a marvelous example of 17th-century French architecture.
