Church of the Madeleine

Who would’ve thought that this huge Greek temple on Place de la Madeleine is actually a church? I know, it’s not your typical Catholic church, with its neoclassical architecture. That’s because its construction, which lasted over 80 years, spanned several political regimes, each with a different vision. It all started in 1763 when Louis XV laid the foundation stone for what was to be a church with a Latin cross floor plan and a domed roof. But then the French Revolution came along, and, well, building churches wasn’t exactly top priority. The project was put on hold, and the building’s future was up for grabs. At one point, there were plans to move the national library and the opera house here. Finally, in 1806, they decided that the building would be used to house the Bank of France, the Commercial Court and the Paris Stock Exchange. But then came Napoleon. Riding high on his victory at Austerlitz, he had a greater vision. He wanted to build a monumental temple to honor his heroic army. He imagined a hall of fame, with the names of his soldiers etched in marble, the fallen inscribed on solid gold plaques, and the names of their regiments on silver ones. You see, he wanted to be remembered as the man who “created heroes and rewarded heroism.” He thought big, that’s for sure! To bring this vision to life, an architectural competition was held, attracting 80 talented artists. Despite the objections of the Academy of Fine Arts, the emperor chose the design of Pierre-Alexandre Vignon, inspired by the Temple of Zeus in Athens and the Supreme Court of the United States. So, you’re probably wondering what happened to Napoleon’s great temple! How did it become a church? Well, long story short, Napoleon’s Russian campaign in 1812 blew everything. After his defeat, the emperor didn’t feel like building the temple anymore. And when Louis XVIII came to the throne after the fall of Napoleon, his first thought was to turn it into a railway station! Finally, in 1842, the Catholics reclaimed the site and completed the church, 78 years after the foundation stone was laid! And so, there’s no cross or steeple, but 52 Corinthian columns framing this edifice and recalling its many near misses. You should definitely go in, as its interior is quite different from that of a regular, plainly-decorated church! On your way out, enjoy the view from the steps, offering a stunning view over the Rue Royale, the Place de la Concorde and the Palais Bourbon!