There is a direct contrast between the festive environment outside the Sacré-Couer de Montmartre and the solemn environment within. The basilica is perched high above the city of Paris in its oldest neighborhood. Out in front, people relax and enjoy the view on several sets of steps leading down to a lookout with telescopes. At the base of one set of steps, an organ grinder plays and sings, while further down the hill a violinist plays as tourists take pictures of each other and the incredible view of the city. A funicular whisks those who wish to avoid the steps from the base of the hill to the top. As visitors enter the basilica - designed in Romano-Byzantine style - they leave the outside commotion behind. The Sacred Heart basilica was built from 1875 to 1914 and was consecrated in 1919. The church withstood the bombing of Montmartre during World War II and a bomb set off in 1974. The faithful pray here day and night, year round. It is said that people were praying here even on the night Montmartre was bombed in April of 1944 when the stained-glass windows fell. Take a slow walk around the church and note its riches. Don't miss the stained glass windows, the large ceiling mosaic of the choir and The Assumption dome. The chapels of saints around both sides of the basilica are also worth a closer look. The crypt on the lower level contains less ornamentation but is worth a quick walk around. The bookstore is on this level, with books and souvenirs. Pick up an English language guidebook here for detailed information on the basilica. You can leave the basilica from this level, or head back up and climb the steep spiral staircase to the dome, with an indoor colonnade giving a view of the inside of the basilica from above, and an outside colonnade offering an expansive view of Paris.
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