St-Pierre de Montmartre

St-Pierre de Montmartre Review

Tucked in the shadow of mighty Sacré-Coeur is one of the oldest churches in Paris. Built in 1147 on the site of a 5th-century temple to the god Mars, this small church with impressive sculpted metal doors was once part of a substantial Benedictine abbey. Besides the church, all that remains is a small cemetery, now closed (you can see it through the ornate metal door on the left as you enter the courtyard). Renovated multiple times through the ages, the church mixes various styles: interior elements such as the columns in the nave are medieval, the facade dates to the 18th century, with renovations in the 19th century; the impressive stained-glass windows are 20th century. Maurice Utrillo's 1914 painting of St-Pierre hangs in the Musée de l'Orangerie.