Paris, Sacré-Coeur Basilica

The Sacré-Coeur was built between 1875 and 1914 by the architect Paul Abadie in the Byzantine style and is located on top of the Montmartre hill, the highest point in the city (130 meters). The proposal to build a new cathedral in memory of the victims of the Franco-Prussian War, put forward in 1871, was sharply criticized, but in 1873 deputies approved its construction using funds raised through public subscriptions. When the first stones were laid (June 16, 1875), one of them contained a bronze medallion "France presents itself to Christ in the Basilica of Montmartre", a box full of French medals, and a parchment inscription of Sacré-Coeur, the master of ceremonies for the founding of the basilica. Construction was completed only in 1914. It is impossible not to admire the city when such an architectural miracle is next to you. The uniqueness of the temple is that it is built from a special mineral that turns white when in contact with water. For several years now, this white beauty has been lighting up Paris during the rainy season...