At the beginning of the 13th century, this Roman Catholic cathedral was erected in the city of Bourges, capital of the province of Berry. Built in the French Gothic style, Bourges Cathedral stands in a place of religious significance dating back at least to the third century, it was here, in the Roman city of Avaricum, that the first Christians among the Gauls found protection. Today, the cathedral has a modern design and a magnificent façade with stunning intricate carvings and decorations. Surprisingly, most of the stained glass windows remain original, many of them depicting stories from the Old and New Testaments.
2. Strasbourg Cathedral
Strasbourg Cathedral is sometimes referred to as the Rose Cathedral. The cathedral is built of sandstone, which gives it a pink hue. Althoughsignificant parts of it were built in the Romanesque style,he is consideredone of the best examples of high, or late,gothic architecture. In the Cathedral of Strasbourg there are still ongoing Catholic church services that you can attend.
The site on which Strasbourg Cathedral stands was originally occupied by a Roman temple, then by a Romanesque church, which was built in 1015 and then destroyed by fire. The present Cathedral was completed in 1284.
The unique, unparalleled spire of the Strasbourg Cathedral was the highest in the Christian world for four centuries.
3. Monolithic Church of Saint-Jean
Auter-sur-Drone is a small and picturesque town of traditional architecture and quaint houses in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France. The town itself is a unique attraction in France, but the center of attraction is without a doubt the Church of Saint-Jean, carved almost entirely from limestone in the rock. Built in the 7th century and greatly expanded in the 12th century, the church has a vaulted nave, a baptismal pool and dozens of ancient coffins.
4. Rouen Cathedral
Rouen Cathedral, it is a Roman Catholic Gothic cathedral V Rouen , Normandy. Rouen is sometimes called the city of a thousand spiers because it is home to many churches. However, one stands out from the rest: Rouen Cathedral. This huge, towering cathedral is the tallest in all of France.
The construction of the present building began in 12m century. On the ground on which the cathedral rises, the leader of the Vikings is buried , Rollo , founderDuchies of Normandy, he was baptized herein 915 and buried in 932.
5. Sacre-Coeur Basilica
Basilica Sacré-Coeur is one of the most famous churches in France, located in Paris, on the hill of Montmartre, which is the highest point in Paris. It was built in the Romano-Byzantine style, and is very similar to famous cathedral Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. One of the main features of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica is the huge mosaic of Jesus. Triple arched portico,surmounted by two bronze equestrian statues of French national saints, Jeanne D "Arc and King Louis IX Saint, designed by Hippolyte Lefebvre. The bell of the cathedral is one of the heaviest in the world, its weight is 19 tons. The dome offers an excellent panoramic view of Paris.
The site where the basilica stands is traditionally associated with the beheading of the city's patron saint, Saint-Denis, in the 3rd century.
6. Notre Dame de la Garde
The port city of Marseille is home to the incredible Notre Dame de la Garde. The cathedral was erected in honor of the patron saint of sailors. The Roman Catholic Cathedral was built on the ruins of an ancient fortress in the 19th century and it was created in the Byzantine Revival style. Inside the cathedral, you will be impressed by the statue of the Madonna and Child, as well as the impressive bell tower and stone vaults.
7. Mont Saint Michel Abbey
The abbey of Mont Saint-Michel owes its popularity among tourists to its location on the island. Mont Saint-Michel is only half a mile off the coast near Normandy, making access to it limited. Benedictine monks still live here, the abbey is surrounded by quaint streets, shops, cafes and museums dedicated to the island and its history.
With over 1.7 million visitors in 2014, the abbey is one of themost visited cultural sites in France. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
8. Reims Cathedral
More than 800 years ago, the construction of the Reims Cathedral began. replaced old church, destroyed inby fire in 1211which was built on the site basilicas , Where Clovis was baptizedBishop of Reimsin 496. Today, the cathedral is a stunning example of Gothic architecture and serves as a major attraction in the city of Reims. It was in this very cathedral that many French kings were crowned and records show that even Joan of Arc was present at one of these ceremonies in the 15th century. The cathedral is the residence of the Archbishop of Reims.
9. Notre Dame de Paris
by the most famous cathedral France is Notre Dame de Paris, which was built in the middle of the 12th century, during the reign of Louis VII.Notre Dame is the most popular monument in Paris and in all of France, surpassing even the Eiffel Tower, with more than 15 million tourists visiting the cathedral every year.
But the famous cathedral is also active catholic church, a place of pilgrimage, and the focal point of Catholicism in France. Pearl parisian architecture, Notre Dame de Paris, was built in the Gothic style and boasts of its incredible size. Its buttresses were among the first in the world, and many gargoyles were used not only for decoration, but also to support the columns.
Notre Dame de Paris stands in the place of the first christian church Paris, Saint BasilicaEtienne, who herselfwas built on the site of a RomanTemple of Jupiter .
10. Chartres Cathedral
Chartres Cathedral is a Gothic, Latin church, located in Chartres 80 kilometers southwest of Paris. The construction of the cathedral in Chartres began in the 11th century. This incredible building, built in the Gothic style, is considered one of the most important pieces of architecture in France. The colorful stained glass windows are well preserved, and two different spires compete for the attention of tourists. While the exterior is phenomenal, don't miss the relics inside, such as the dress Mary was supposedly wearing when she gave birth to Jesus.
The cathedral is in exceptionally good condition for its age. Most of the original stained glass has remained intact, while only minor changes have been made to the architecture since the early 13th century. in the appearance of the building is dominated by heavy buttresses , which allowed architects to significantly increase the size of the window, in the western part is dominated by two contrasting spiers 105 meters high.
He is listed world heritage UNESCO, which calls Chartres Cathedral "the high point French gothic art and "masterpiece".
The cathedral was designed by a well-known company that built the building of the Legislative Court in London. The church was built in the Gothic Revival style. The decor of the building includes Pre-Raphaelite stained-glass windows, sharp kneeling needles depicting 50 state colors, and 50 American state flags. The floor of the church is made of expensive Italian and Belgian marble. Next to the Cathedral is a memorial chapel dedicated to the dead Americans in World War II.
Now the American Temple operates as a parish. Services are held on English language. But despite this, the Cathedral is primarily the seat of the bishop of the Episcopal Church in Europe.
The American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is depicted in a painting by the great artist. The original painting by Jean Bero "After the service in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Nativity 1890" is stored in the Carnavalet Museum.
Cathedral of the Sacré Coeur
This majestic white building can be seen from almost anywhere in Paris. Any person, even for the first time in the capital of France, will not confuse this most beautiful cathedral with anything. The Sacré-Coeur Basilica was named after Catholic holiday Sacred Heart of Christ, and this temple is dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Franco-Prussian war.
Construction began in 1875 on the hill of Montmartre, in the very high point Paris (130m). To strengthen the foundation, 83 shafts had to be dug, some of them 33 meters deep. The cathedral itself, 94 meters high, was decided to be built from rare limestone, which, when in contact with water, is covered with a special white coating. That's why the Sacré-Coeur has such a unique color.
The basilica is especially good if you look at it from below. You can stop at the platform at the foot of the stairs of 237 steps leading to the top of the hill and see the temple in all its snow-white splendor. The stairs will lead to the main entrance of the cathedral, which is decorated with bronze figures of Saint Louis (to the left of the entrance) and Joan of Arc (to the right).
From the observation deck in front of the Sacré-Coeur, a stunning panorama of Paris opens up. In clear weather, you will see the streets and boulevards of the city, and in the evening, city lights and the illumination of historical buildings will create an enchanting picture of the holiday city.
Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady
The Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady (in French Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de-l "Assomption) is located in the historical center of Paris on Victory Square. Next to the Cathedral is a statue of Pope Urban II, who started the First Crusade here in 1095.
Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady - beautiful gothic cathedral, before which there were three Christian temple. An important feature of the cathedral is the unique building material of volcanic origin. This is the most large temple from this special stone.
Visiting the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady, you can see interior decoration XIX century and listen to the organ. There is also an excellent collection of paintings from the 12th-15th centuries and fragments of Gothic frescoes.
Cathedral of Notre Dame
Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris- the world-famous Gothic cathedral, located in the very center of Paris. The worldwide fame of this temple can only compete with the popularity of the Eiffel Tower. Notre Dame Cathedral owes its fame to a large extent to the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo.
The famous cathedral was founded in the twelfth century, or more precisely, in 1163. The monumental construction lasted more than one hundred and fifty years, but now this temple is recognized as a real gem of the French capital. First of all, the cathedral impresses with its size - its towers rise 69 meters above the ground, and the oak spire is even higher - 96 meters. The exterior of the cathedral is quite gloomy - the building is decorated with stone gargoyles and chimeras, and the facade depicts scenes from doomsday. The interior also does not hold gloom - like most Gothic buildings, there is no wall painting in Notre Dame Cathedral, and instead of frescoes, the interior of the temple is enlivened only by multi-colored stained-glass windows.
Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the world's most famous and popular attractions. This is really an old, legendary place, which hundreds of thousands of tourists come to visit every year. And for believers, the cathedral is a place of real religious pilgrimage: it is here that one of the sacred relics of Christianity is kept - the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ.
Saint Louis Cathedral
Saint-Louis Cathedral was repeatedly mentioned in his novels by Alexandre Dumas.
However, the Cathedral, built in the 18th century, was never completed. There are maritime exhibits, models of ships. The interior halls are devoted mainly to the maritime theme, while the architecture of the cathedral itself is more like a military fort of the Middle Ages.
In the courtyard of the cathedral, you can sit at tables and hide from the bustle of the city, as in the truest sense, behind a stone wall.
Nearby is the maritime and oceanographic museums.
Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky
It's no secret that a large number of Russians have been living in Paris since the time of the Russian Empire. In those days, the Russian community had a problem - the only prayer place was located on the territory of the embassy, and could hardly accommodate even a small part of the believers.
In 1847, the chief priest of the Russian embassy in Paris, Joseph Vasiliev, wished to build a permanent church. After a long fiddling with the bureaucracy, the French government approved the project. Thus began the construction of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Construction was carried out on donations, most of which came from Russians from all over the world. Surprisingly, the French also joined in the donations.
The cathedral was consecrated on September 11, 1861, and in the twentieth century it was listed among the historical monuments of France.
Cathedral of the Invalides
Initially, the House of Invalids was a kind of medical center suitable for aged and crippled soldiers. The court architect Liberal Bruant supervised the construction process. It took him about six years to complete the job. And the first settlement of pensioners took place in 1674.
In March, 1676, the further construction of the Les Invalides was entrusted to Jules Hardouin-Mansart, who had previously taken part in the construction of the building and was in charge of the hospital premises and entrance pavilions. Construction continued for almost 30 years.
The building consists of two parts in one: a church for soldiers and a domed church. In 1873 it was finally divided into two parts by a large glass partition. Over time, the Les Invalides partly becomes a museum: a collection of relief plans was transferred here from the Louvre, and several museums dedicated to the army were organized.
To this day, a hotel operates in the building, which provides accommodation for disabled people who served in the French troops and pensioners.
Sights of Paris
NOTRE DAME (Notre Dame Cathedral)
Notre Dame Cathedral was built in the western part of the Ile de la Cité, on the site where in the 1st century AD there was an ancient Roman altar dedicated to Jupiter. Among the Gothic churches of France, Notre Dame Cathedral stands out for its austere grandeur of its appearance. In terms of beauty, proportions, and the degree of embodiment of the idea of Gothic art, this cathedral is a unique phenomenon.
The construction of the cathedral began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully. The first stone in the foundation of the temple was laid by Pope Alexander III. During the construction process, which was completed only by the middle of the 14th century, the original plan of the cathedral underwent a number of changes, taking on the features of mature Gothic art.
Notre Dame Cathedral houses one of the great relics of Christianity - the Crown of Thorns of Jesus Christ.
Until 1063, the Crown of Thorns was kept on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. In 1063 he was transferred to the palace of the Byzantine emperors in Constantinople. In 1204, the sacred relic was captured by Western European crusader knights who broke into Constantinople and plundered the Christian city. Prior to this, for a thousand years, the foot of the conqueror had not set foot on the stones of the streets of Constantinople.
Under the blows of the Crusaders, the Byzantine Empire broke up into several parts. Constantinople found itself under the rule of a dynasty of some provincial princes, who insatiably robbed the remnants of the great heritage they had inherited, but still constantly needed money. One of them - Baldwin II, in order to get out of debt, began to sell the sacred relics of Christianity. As a result, the Crown of Thorns went to the French king Louis IX.
St. de la MADLEINE
The Madeleine Church in Paris (fr. l "église de la Madeleine) is the church of St. Mary Magdalene; located in the 8th arrondissement of the French capital, on the square of the same name; a vivid example of neoclassicism in architecture.
The temple is illuminated through the vault - unlike other temples, the church has neither a transept nor side windows.
The history of the construction of the church stretched for 85 years due to the political instability of France in the late 18th - early 19th centuries. Construction began under Louis XV, in whose honor the Place de la Concorde and its surroundings were decorated, and who personally laid the first stone of the future church. The original project was likened to the House of Invalids - a cruciform structure with a dome. Napoleon wished that the temple was dedicated to the victories of his army; the project was revised by the architect Vignon, but the defeat in the war in Russia in 1812 cost the temple the transformation into a railway station - the first in Paris - in 1837, and returning to its original purpose only in 1845.
One of the most beautiful churches Paris - Sacre Coeur ("Sacre Coeur" - the Church of the Heart of Christ). Wherever you are in the city, your gaze will definitely linger on the white domes of the Sacré Coeur Basilica, majestically towering on top of the Montmartre hill. In its architectural appearance, the imitation of the Cathedral of St. Fro in Perigueux in southwestern France is clearly noticeable.
Located at the top of Montmartre, the Sacré-Coeur Basilica was designed by the architect Abadie. The temple was built in memory of the victims of the Franco-Prussian war, funds for its construction were collected by public subscription.
The architects decided to build the Sacre Coeur church in the Romano-Byzantine style. And indeed, four small domes and one large, firmly standing on a high drum - clearly oriental origin. The elongated shape of the domes repeats the silhouette of the famous basilica of the 12th century. Saint Front in Perigueux, southern France. Behind the church is a square bell tower, 84 meters high, with the famous bell, one of the largest bells in the world - it weighs 19 tons. This bell is a gift to the church from the province of Savoy, and therefore it bears the name "Savoyard" (Savoyarde). A magnificent staircase leads to the facade of the church with a portico of three arches: above the portico on both sides are statues of Saint Louis and Joan of Arc. The magnificent facade of the church, slowly approaching the visitor as they ascend the cascade of stairs, is decorated with sculptures of Christ and the Samaritan woman, Mary, in Simon's house.
Inside the church is richly decorated with mosaics; the original stained glass windows were destroyed during World War II. The mosaic panels above the pulpit depict scenes of worship of the Sacred Heart of Christ. The crypt under the temple is open to visitors and serves as an exhibition space for works of sacred art.
On the hill of St. Genevieve, rising 60 m above the level of the Seine (i.e. 84 m above sea level), stands the Pantheon - one of the landmarks of Paris, visible from different parts of the city.
The history of the Pantheon is, in fact, the history of human vanity, expressed here primarily in our inability to distinguish the eternal from the momentary: the very name of the Pantheon has changed more than once during its relatively short history.
At the entrance to the Pantheon, there is an inscription AUX GRANDS HOMMES LA PATRIE RECONNAISSANTE ("Grateful Fatherland to Great People").
In 1744, Louis XV vowed that if he recovered, he would build a church on the site of the old abbey of Saint Genevieve. He recovered, but the fulfillment of the vow took him a long time. It was not until 1764 that Madame Pompadour's brother hired the architect Soufflot to design the church in the form of a Greek cross with a dome reminiscent of that of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. In the days of the revolution of 1789, the First Convention decided to bury in this new church "the first of the great sons of France, Citizen Mirabeau."
And then it was decided to bury all the great people here.
The bell towers that cost the architect's life were demolished, the cross was removed, and on the bas-relief of the pediment above the main entrance, St. Genevieve was replaced by an allegorical figure of the Motherland, which is crowned by the ancient Greek goddess Truth. Under the bas-relief appeared the inscription: "Great people - a grateful fatherland." In place of the cross, they put the figure of Glory. And the church was renamed the Pantheon.
After Mirabeau's funeral, the ashes of Voltaire were transferred here.
After the restoration of the Bourbons, the Pantheon became a church again, and the inscription again mentioned not the “grateful fatherland”, but St. Genevieve. All the sculptures on the pediment were again changed to the corresponding ones and the dead began to be relocated again: Voltaire and Rousseau were removed to the crypt under the peristyle, so as not to be too much an eyesore to the new government. But still, at least this time they didn’t take it out of the Pantheon ...
After the revolution of 1830, the new "bourgeois king" Louis-Philippe again renamed the church into the Pantheon and placed Voltaire and Rousseau in their original places, and also (for the fourth time!) Changed the bas-reliefs on the pediments. This time, the Motherland distributed wreaths, and History wrote down who and for what. Mirabeau, Malserbe, Fenelon, Berthole, Laplace, Lafayette, Voltaire appeared on the bas-reliefs... Napoleon appeared among them, but not the emperor - no, just General Bonaparte, as if he had always been a famous military leader and nothing more... A monument to Pierre also appeared Corneille.
And in 1847, from the Pantheon Square to the Luxembourg Gardens (to the current Edmond Rostand Square), a wide street was pierced, called Soufflot Street. On the very spot where the forum of the Roman city of Upper Lutetia once stood.
In 1851, the Prince-President (later Napoleon III) again named the Pantheon the church of St. Genevieve. And again - "forever and ever." The cross was erected again. Exactly twenty years later, the Communards demolished the cross, replacing it with a red banner. Two years later, the Third Republic again hoisted the cross.
When the great exile Victor Hugo died in 1885, the same Third Republic again renamed the church the Pantheon and buried "Viscount Hugo" next to Voltaire.
The inscription “Grateful Fatherland to Great People” was restored, but the cross was also left on the dome. Then the ashes of the great physician Kabanis and Marshal Lann were transferred here. Later, Emile Zola and the leader of the French socialists Jean Jaurès were buried here, and relatively recently the ashes of Pierre and the only woman, Marie Curie, were transferred here. Soon after they were buried here famous philosopher of our time, writer, one of the leaders of the Resistance, and later Minister of Culture in several de Gaulle governments, Andre Malraux. And already in the XX! century, Alexandre Dumas was buried here.
Its construction began in 1646; During the construction of the church, 6 architects were replaced. The latter, the Florentine Servandoni, adorned the façade with a two-tiered colonnade. The interior of the church is illuminated by daylight through numerous stained-glass windows, which gives it a somewhat mysterious look. The first chapel to the right of the entrance was painted by E. Delacroix. Above the entrance is one of the best organs in France, made in 1776.
This church seems to have a certain magical aura. Not without reason in many fiction works of the XX century. that's where it happens mysterious events, secret and mysterious messages are revealed. Researchers of the occult societies believe that Saint-Sulpice is associated with a powerful Masonic society that has been covertly influencing European life for at least 10 centuries.
The cathedral was built on the site of a Gallo-Roman cemetery, where the first bishop of Paris was buried, who accepted martyrdom around 250. Once there was a famous monastery here
The history of the cathedral is closely connected with the monarchy. Here are the tombs of French kings, many queens were crowned here.
Each tomb has a bas-relief of the person buried in it.
This is one of the most mysterious and amazing Cathedrals in Paris.
Royally majestic, created in the style of mature Gothic, by order of Saint Louis, the chapel of Sainte-Chapelle was erected as a royal church and was supposed to become a symbol of the sacred power of the French monarchs. The particles of the Cross of Jesus Christ are kept here. The upper and lower chapels amaze with their beauty and magnificence. The walls of Sainte-Chapelle seem to dissolve, bringing to the fore an openwork ornament woven from multi-colored mosaics, the plots of which include hundreds of scenes and cover the entire history from creation to the arrival in Paris of a procession of sacred relic. Sunlight, reflected in the windows, colors the entire interior space with bright highlights. Thin pilasters, going under the very arches of the vault, separate the stained-glass windows, at the same time being an element of the Gothic decor. It is worth seeing the divine stained-glass windows: "The Last Supper", "Transfer of Shrines", a beautiful rose window, which shows scenes from the Apocalypse, statues of the apostles, which are an amazing example of wood carving. Outside of France, Sainte-Chapelle became a model for Gothic structures.
Saint-Eustache Church (Saint-Eustache) is comparable in size to Notre Dame Cathedral, and the height of its vault is even several meters higher than the height of Norte Dame.
In architectural terms, it is amazing in that it combines medieval Gothic with examples of the Italian Renaissance. And by adding modern sculpture, we generally get a stunning cocktail.
Cathedral Church in the name Holy Trinity on the Quai Branly in Paris was consecrated His Holiness Patriarch Moscow and All Rus' Kirill December 4, 2016. Included in the complex of the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Center.
Russian spiritual and cultural center - a complex of four buildings:
- Cathedral Holy Trinity of the Korsun diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church,
- Russian-French elementary school for 150 students,
- exhibition center,
- buildings of the diocesan administration with a concert hall and living quarters.
The center is located on a territory with a total area of 4.2 thousand square meters. meters in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, a plot of land in Paris acquired by the Russian Government, a few hundred meters from the Eiffel Tower and in close proximity to the Branly Museum, the Grand Palais and the Paris Museum of Modern Art. The territory of the center is part of the Russian Embassy in France and has diplomatic immunity in this regard.
The center was designed by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. The official opening took place on October 19, 2016.
Address: 1 Quai Branly, 75007 Paris.
Saint Sava Cathedral (Paris)
The Cathedral of St. Sava (Serb. Tsrkva Svetog Save u Parizu) is the cathedral church of the Western European diocese of the Serbian Patriarchate, located in the city of Paris and consecrated in honor of the first Serbian archbishop and national hero of Serbia - St. Sava of Serbia.
In September 1947, the first Serbian Orthodox community was founded in Paris, which on February 3, 1948 was officially recognized by the French authorities. On initial stage the parish did not have its own separate church and divine services were performed in churches of other Christian denominations.
In 1962, the community leased Protestant church on rue Simplon, and in 1984 she finally acquired and converted a building for Orthodox services.
The building of the cathedral was built in the Neo-Romanesque style and faced with hewn limestone and decorated with openwork ornaments. Above the entrance to the temple there is a fresco of St. Sava of Serbia, painted in the style of ancient Serbian church painting. Inside the church is divided along the supporting pillars into two parts: on the left - the temple space; in the right - a large icon is installed Holy Mother of God"The All-Queen". A carved two-tier iconostasis made of bog oak with icons (to the right of the Royal Doors) in the bottom row - the Savior, the Archangel Michael, John the Baptist, the great martyr and healer Panteleimon; left - image Mother of God"Three-handed", Archdeacon Stefan, St. Savva of Serbia, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The second iconostasis row depicts the twelve apostles. The iconostasis is crowned with an image of the Old Testament Trinity and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross. There are no paintings in the temple.
Address: 23, rue du Simplon, 75018 Paris
Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov (Paris)
The temple on rue Lecoubre was built in 1933 and consecrated in honor of Reverend Seraphim Sarovsky. The project of the iconostasis of the church was created by the founder of the Society for the Revival of Artistic Rus', Academician N.V. Globa. Icons of P. A. Fedorov’s writing were installed in the bottom row.
Forty years later, the temple building fell into disrepair, and therefore in 1973-1974, a new wooden church was built on the site of the old temple according to the project of the architect A.N. Fedorov. Inside the temple there are two massive maple trees, the trunks of which go out through holes in the roof (one plant is alive, the other is dried). On one of the trees is the text of the will of Seraphim of Sarov.
One of the main shrines of the temple is the icon of St. Seraphim with a particle of his relics. Also in the church are kept a part of the stone taken from Tsarskoye Selo, on which the saint performed his prayer feat, part of the saint’s mantle and a small amount of flour, which the sisters of the Diveevsky monastery ground in a hand mill and distributed to pilgrims in handfuls as a blessing.
Address: 91, rue Lecourbe, Paris 15e.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Paris)
The Russian presence in France dates back to the 18th century. In the 19th century, about a thousand Russians permanently or temporarily reside in Paris. They have no other prayer place than the one in the Russian embassy in Paris - too cramped.
In 1847, the priest of the Russian embassy - Iosif Vasiliev - began work on the design of a permanent church. The inertia of the Russian government and French administrative slowness held back the completion of the project, but Napoleon III finally gives his consent.
The construction was financed mainly from donations made by Russians in Russia and around the world. Tsar Alexander II made a personal contribution - approximately 150,000 francs in gold. The project aroused great interest in France. The donations of the Orthodox were joined by contributions from Catholics and Protestants.
The new church was consecrated on September 11, 1861 by Archbishop Leonty (Lebedinsky), the future Metropolitan of Moscow. It is dedicated to Saint Alexander Nevsky, Prince of Novgorod, the glorious hero of Rus'.
Address: Paris, Rue Daru, 12
Cathedral of Saint Stephen (Paris)
The laying of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, which was consecrated on September 22, 1895 in honor of the First Martyr Archdeacon Stefan.
The cathedral building, 42 meters high, was built in the Byzantine style, faced with white and brown glazed bricks, and the walls were cut through with long arched windows. The cathedral is crowned with a dome located on sails and an equilateral Byzantine cross. The arched entrance to the temple is framed by Corinthian columns made of yellow limestone. The outer walls of the cathedral are partially built up with later buildings.
In 1962, the legendary singer Edith Piaf, who converted to Orthodoxy, and the Greek hairdresser Theofanis Lambukas were married in the temple.
In 1977, the greatest opera singer of Greek origin, Maria Callas, was buried in the cathedral.
Since 1980, on Saturdays, the temple has regularly held divine services on Arabic community of the Antiochian Orthodox Church.
Address: 7 Rue Georges Bizet, 75016 Paris, France
Notre Dame Cathedral (Notre Dame de Paris) is the main Catholic church in Paris.
IN Notre Dame Cathedral or Notre Dame de Paris I got myself on the second day of my stay in . After I walked with a guide through the belly of Paris and climbed the Montparnasse tower.
Famous Notre Dame de Paris located on the Island of the City, not far from the very center of the city. The very center is the Place de la Concorde, the Louvre and the Tuileries Park. towers Notre Dame Cathedral are well visible, one has only to leave the park in the direction of the Seine and cross to the other side of the river, so walking to it without getting lost does not present any difficulty.
He met me with a cloudy sky above him and a huge number of tourists, both near the cathedral and in it. In front of Notre Dame Cathedral is a small cobbled square where you can sit and admire the city's legendary landmark. 
Before entering the French came up with an entertainment attraction for tourists. In the cement slabs on the ground there is a copper disk, becoming, in the center of which you need to turn around its axis, make a wish and leave a coin. The Parisians say that it will certainly come true, that to my mind, this is just one of the honest ways to take money, as the unforgettable O. Bender said. 
The main Catholic church at all times and is still considered to this day. It hosted coronations, weddings and funerals of royalty. He was sung in his immortal work by V. Hugo. And it is in it that genuine Christian relics are stored. There is also the largest bell and the largest organ in France.
The cathedral is a functioning temple, services are held and rituals are performed in it. Having bought a ticket, you can go inside the cathedral, take photos and listen to the mass. Outside is much more interesting than inside. Inside it is modest, like all Catholic churches. But from the outside, the abundance of elements of architectural decoration and biblical statues makes this place quite curious. 
Personally, he did not make a huge impression on me after the architectural delights of Italy. And in my opinion, the daily abundance of tourists turns this Romanesque-Gothic cathedral into a soulless receptacle for those who suffer to look at the historical relic of the city. But to visit it, take photos and walk along the beautiful streets of the island of Cité is definitely worth it.
