Sacré-Coeur Basilica

Can a sacred building drown out a revolution? The Catholic Church certainly thought it was worth trying in 1875, when it ordered the construction of a basilica atop the Montmartre hill to atone for the riots of the radical Paris Commune. Controversial from the start – not only for its uncommon white exterior but also for its contrast with the neighborhood’s Bohemian lifestyle – Sacré-Coeur is today a place of pilgrimage for visitors from around the world, who climb 300 spiral steps to the dome to enjoy one of the most spectacular views in Paris. For all its splendor, Sacré-Coeur is still a parish church, deeply involved in its community. A community that is etched into its very soul…