Religious Sites, Faubourg St-Honoré
Fodor's Review:
With its rows of uncompromising columns, this sturdy neoclassical edifice -- designed in 1814 but not consecrated until 1842 -- looks more like a proudly inflated version of a Greek temple than a Christian church. The resemblance is no fluke; changing political winds during the construction meant that the building was literally a Greek basilica one day, a temple to Napoléon's glory another, a National Assembly hall the next. At one point, in fact, La Madeleine, as it is known, was nearly selected as Paris's first train station. A simpler crypt offers intimate weekday masses; classical music and organ recitals are held throughout the week, though acoustics can be muddy.
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