Aesthetically atrocious and politically offensive, Sacré Coeur, the church at the top of Butte Montmartre, nonetheless exerts a magnetic attraction. The church was built to celebrate the defeat of the Paris Commune (a patriotic group who refused to give up when Paris was handed over to the Prussians in 1871). The broad steps leading up the butte are a favorite Parisian meeting place while the grassy slopes near the top provide fantastic views of the city at sunset. |
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Sacré Coeur's gargoyles double as rainspouts. |
The view from Sacré Coeur is dominated by the 59 story Montparnasse Tower |