Church of Saint-Étienne du Mont

Just a few steps away from the Panthéon, you’ll find the Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont. It’s a real eye-catcher, with its flamboyant Gothic style and unique bell tower. The present-day building dates back to the 16th century, but its history goes back much further, to 510 AD. It was then that Clovis, King of the Franks, decided to make Paris the capital of his kingdom. To show his devotion to the Catholic faith, he built a basilica dedicated to the apostles Peter and Paul on the Sainte-Geneviève Hill. He was buried there in 511, followed by Saint Genevieve the following year, and later by his widow, Queen Clotilde. Genevieve was best known for encouraging Parisians to fight back during the invasion of Attila, the fearsome leader of the Huns. She was seen as a local saint, and her tomb drew many faithful. The basilica became such an important pilgrimage site that it was gradually transformed into an abbey. During the Viking siege of Paris in the 9th century, the saint’s relics were moved to the Île de la Cité along with those of Saint-Germain, in a bid to protect the city. When Paris was liberated, the two saints were hailed as saviors, and their popularity soared. Geneviève became the patron saint of Paris, protector of the city and its inhabitants, and the abbey was officially named after her. The reason I’m telling you all this is that the Church of Saint-Étienne-du-mont was originally the abbey’s parish chapel, used by local residents. As the community grew, the church became too small, leading to the construction of the beautiful building you see today. For several centuries, the Sainte-Geneviève Abbey and the Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont stood side by side. However, during the French Revolution, the abbey was dissolved, Clovis’ basilica was destroyed and some of its buildings were repurposed. Today, part of the former abbey houses the Henri IV High School, which you can see to the right of the church. As for the relics of Saint Geneviève, they were taken to the Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, where they remain to this day. Be sure to venture inside before you go. You’ll discover a magnificent reliquary holding a piece of her tomb, as well as the last rood screen to be seen in a Parisian church.