Standing above the city like a badge of honor is the beautiful Basilica du Sacre-Coeur (or Basilica of the Sacred Heart), a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is located at the summit of the Montmartre Hill, the highest point in Paris.
Inside the church, you will find a beautiful golden mosaic above the choir depicting Christ with a gold heart, stained glass windows that were installed in 1922 (destroyed in WWII by a bomb and rebuilt in 1946), and one of the world's heaviest bells weighing 19 tons.
The basilica is breathtaking in more ways than one! What do I mean? Well, the basilica itself is quite stunning. But the views from the top of the 271-foot dome, the second-highest point in Paris after the Eiffel Tower, are simply amazing on a clear day. However, after climbing the 235 steps from the square to the entrance of Sacre-Coeur and gasping for every breath, I usually find the view from the front steps are good enough for me.
FYI -- To avoid the steps, there is a funicular for the cost of a metro ticket. Taking the funicular always seem like a wimpy thing to do until you've climbed to the top!
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