Paris, a city with numerous places of worship
Places of worship for different religions in Paris.
Places of worship make up a significant part of Paris’s heritage. Testifying to the city’s history and its diverse religions, they draw large numbers of visitors; indeed, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Sacré Cœur Basilica top the list of the most popular sights in Paris.
There are many Catholic churches among the several hundreds of places of worship open to worshippers, but there are also Protestant temples, synagogues and mosques too, notably the emblematic Grande Mosquée de Paris, the Grande Synagogue and the Buddhist Pagode de Vincennes.
The city’s religious diversity is matched by the historical and architectural variety of its places of worship. The Eglise de la Madeleine is atypical, without any crosses or bell towers. The Tour Saint-Jacques in the heart of Paris rises up in solitary splendour, as the adjoining church was destroyed after the French Revolution. The Eglise Saint-Eustache, considered to be one of the most beautiful churches in Paris, is remarkable for its unusually large dimensions. Services are held daily, as in most Paris churches.
The Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, built in 2016, is also one of these unusual buildings. With its five onion domes covered in gold leaf and uncluttered style, it is reminiscent of the imposing architecture of Moscow whilst remaining understated in elegance.
Of note: the largest pagoda in Europe was inaugurated at Evry in 2017 after more than 30 years of work. An exceptional building, without a doubt!
