Despite being just 1 sq meter smaller than the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris, the Église St-Sulpice has long lived in its shadow – until Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code drew crowds to the monumental Roman Catholic church in search of the hidden treasures detailed in his epic novel.
Construction of the current church began in 1642, but it passed through the hands of several different architects – which accounts for its unique mishmash of baroque and neoclassical references – until work was halted entirely by the French Revolution. In fact, the right tower on the church’s western façade (designed by Italian architect Servandoni, who drew inspiration from London’s St Paul’s Cathedral) remains unfinished to this day.
But what’s so special about Église St-Sulpice is the artworks contained within. Immediately to your right after entering, in the Chapel of the Holy Angels, are three well-preserved wax murals painted by French artist Eugène Delacroix between 1855 and 1861. Also look out for the peculiar pair of holy water fonts, located on either side of the nave and the giant clam shells, which were gifted to King Francis I by the Venetian Republic, that sit atop stone bases hand-carved with sea motifs by Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. The white marble statue of Mary, located at the far end of the church, was also sculpted by the prolific artist.
Throughout the year, classical-music recitals are held at the church, with tickets available online from L’Officiel des Spectacles or directly on-site before each performance.