Guides & Advice  : France : 
Paris

 
Frommer's Guide
INTRODUCTION
GETTING TO KNOW
DINING
ATTRACTIONS
Suggested Itineraries
Museums
Neighborhoods Worth a Visit
Cemeteries
Churches
Especially for Kids
Literary Landmarks
Parks & Gardens
A Day at the Races
NIGHTLIFE
SHOPPING
WALKING TOURS
TRAVELER'S GUIDE TO ART & ARCHITECTURE
FEATURES AND EVENTS
ATTRACTION Frommer
St-Sulpice

Pause first outside St-Sulpice. The 1844 fountain by Visconti displays the sculpted likenesses of four bishops of the Louis XIV era: Fenelon, Massillon, Bossuet, and Flechier. Work on the church, at one time Paris's largest, began in 1646. Though laborers built the body by 1745, work on the bell towers continued until 1780, when one was finished and the other left incomplete. One of the priceless treasures inside is Servandoni's rococo Chapelle de la Madone (Chapel of the Madonna), with a Pigalle statue of the Virgin. The church has one of the world's largest organs, comprising 6,700 pipes; it has been played by musicians like Charles-Mari Widor and Marcel Dupré.

The real reason to come here is to see the Delacroix frescoes in the Chapelle des Anges (Chapel of the Angels), the first on your right as you enter. Look for his muscular Jacob wrestling (or dancing?) with an effete angel. On the ceiling, St. Michael is having some troubles with the Devil, and yet another mural depicts Heliodorus being driven from the temple. Painted in Delacroix's final years, the frescoes were a high point in his baffling career. If these impress you, pay the painter tribute by visiting the Musée Delacroix.

Open: Daily 7:30am-7:30pm.Free admission.Métro: St-Sulpice.


BACK TO LIST   PREVIOUS  |  NEXT


Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Although efforts have been made to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, Travelocity does not accept any responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person resulting from information published on this site. In particular, it is your responsibility to verify all information regarding visa requirements, health and safety, customs, and transportation with the relevant authorities before you travel.