Visit Saint-Sulpice: An Off The Beaten Path Attraction In Paris

Exterior of Saint-Sulpice

The main features of this extraordinary structure are its portico, supported by Doric columns, and a loggia decorated with Ionian columns. Flanking towers are of uneven height and different in style. While the Northern Tower, which is 73 meters (~230 feet) tall, was completed in 1880, the Southern Tower remains the same as it was when the outbreak of the French Revolution (1789 – 1799) interrupted the work on it. The Southern Tower is more slender and shorter (68 meters / 223 ft) than its supposed twin.

In front of the main entrance of the Saint-Sulpice Church, there is a big square with a monumental fountain in its center. Convenient for cooling down during the summertime, it was designed by an Italian architect Louis Visconti, who also designed the tomb of Napoleon I. Known as the Fountain of the Four Cardinal Directions, it features statues of four bishops from Louis XIV’s time, amphorae and coat of arms.

Interior of Saint-Sulpice

An imposing interior features rich works of art, beautiful paintings and one of the finest organs in France, distinguished for exceptional quality of its sound. This is not a surprise, since it was manufactured by Francois-Henri Clicquot and renovated by Aristide Cavaille-Coll, both illustrious organ builders in their times.

Another exceptional feature of the church is “Gnomon”, an obelisk whose purpose was to provide astronomical data and the time of the day, based on the angle of the sun rays falling on it. The date of Easter, for example, was determined this way.

At the top of the apse, the Chapel of our Lady used to be used as a private worshipping place. The statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus is the work of Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, a renowned French sculptor.

In the niches throughout the walls of the church, exceptional artwork referring to various episodes and legends of Christianity draw glances. One such episode illustrates future saint, St. Martin, who splits his Roman legionnaire cloak to hand a half of it to a freezing beggar.

Eugene Delacroix’s masterpieces

In the Chapel of the Holy Angels, a few compositions of the extraordinary 19th century painter Eugene Delacroix are to be found. The piece in the photo illustrates Jacob wrestling with an angel that lasted all night, while the other one depicts Heliodorus’ expulsion from the Temple of Jerusalem, where he was sent to loot its treasures.