Church of Saint-Sulpice

Saint-Sulpice is a baroque place of worship in the sixth arrondissement of Paris, characterized by its two unequal towers. The northern tower rises to 73 meters (240 feet), while the southern one stops at 34 meters (112 feet), giving the facade an asymmetrical silhouette.

Construction started in 1646 when a priest founded a seminary on this site, and six different architects contributed to its completion over 134 years. The building replaced a medieval chapel that had become too small for the growing parish.

The parish takes its name from a seventh-century bishop of Bourges who became known in popular devotion as a protector of the poor. Today the building serves as a place of worship for the surrounding neighborhoods and attracts visitors interested in its frescoes and the instrument in the organ loft.

Visitors can attend organ recitals every Sunday and explore the interior with its wall paintings and a brass line on the floor. Admission is free, but it is advisable to come outside service times to view the building at leisure.

A brass line on the floor serves as a gnomon, an astronomical tool from 1727 used to calculate the date of Easter. Sunlight strikes marks along this line on specific days of the year, indicating solstices and equinoxes.

Location: Quartier de l'Odéon

Location: 6th arrondissement of Paris

Inception: 1646

Founders: Jean-Jacques Olier

Architects: Giovanni Niccolò Servandoni, Daniel Gittard, Louis Le Vau, Christophe Gamard, Gilles-Marie Oppenord, Jean-François Chalgrin

Architectural style: baroque architecture

Height: 73 m

Length: 113 m

Width: 58 m

Address: 2 Rue Palatine

Opening Hours: 08:00-19:45

Website: https://paroissesaintsulpice.paris

GPS coordinates: 48.85100,2.33492

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:15