The Sacre Coeur Basilica is the sacred heart of France, a true jewel in the crown of one of the most famous districts of Paris. Now it is already difficult to imagine them separately – the majestic symbol of the conservative moral order of Sacre Coeur and the creative, windy, slightly riotous modern Montmartre. They complement each other, creating around them and combining an atmosphere of blessed tranquility and the charm of a hectic life.
The Sacre Coeur temple in the French capital is considered one of the most iconic and most recognizable churches in the country. In terms of the popularity of visits, this religious monument can be compared only with Notre Dame Cathedral. And, despite the subjective opinion of Parisians that the Sacre Coeur lacks the beauty and mystery of Notre Dame de Paris or Sainte Chapelle, more than a million tourists annually strive to get to the famous Montmartre hill to see this sacred place with their own eyes.
The Basilica of the Sacre Coeur is located at the top of the Montmartre hill, on the right bank of the Seine. In fact, the shrine is the last shrine in a long line of temples that at different times stood on this famous and historically significant Parisian hill. Contemporaries associate the Montmartre district of Paris exclusively with a creative bohemian, a drunken life, talented but poor artists. But the name “Montmartre” is translated as “Mountain of Martyrs”.
During the time of the persecution of Christians by the pagan authorities, bloody executions on the top of the hill were common. According to legend, it was here that the first bishop of Paris Saint-Denis (Dionysius), who preached Christianity to the last drop of blood, was beheaded. And in the truest sense of the word. Legend has it that after the execution Saint-Denis took his head in his hands, the mouth of which continued to read the prayer and walked like that until he finished. Only then did he drop dead. So, if you see a sculpture of a man with a head in his hands, you should know that this is Saint Dionysius, the patron saint of the French kings.