Sainte-Clotilde Church, Minor basilica in 7th arrondissement, Paris, France.
Sainte-Clotilde Church stands on the parvis Maurice-Druon in the 7th arrondissement, 96 metres long and 38 metres wide, with twin 70-metre spires. Its light grey stone west front has three pointed-arch portals, a large rose window with radiating tracery, and statues of Saint Clotilde and Saint Valère on thrones. Inside, pale beige stone vaults rise on clustered columns above two blocks of wooden chairs, and red, white and gold banners stand near the columns.
Construction began in 1846 under architect Franz Christian Gau and was completed by Theodor Ballu in 1857 after Gau's death in 1854. The project embodied French taste for Gothic forms during the country's industrial flourishing.
The name honours Saint Clotilde, wife of Clovis I, who converted to Christianity in 496; Pope Leo XIII raised the church to minor basilica in 1898 for the 14th centenary of that baptism. In the Chapel of the Holy Cross, red banners with Chinese characters recall that this facade was the model for the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Guangzhou, built 1863–1888.
The basilica stands on the parvis Maurice-Druon, facing the square Samuel-Rousseau and its chestnut, sophora and Judas trees, in the 7th arrondissement. The main entrance is on the west front, whose three pointed-arch portals open under the twin 70-metre spires. Inside, the nave is 96 metres long and 39 metres wide, with two blocks of wooden chairs with woven seats; the five apse chapels are reached from the ambulatory.
The 1859 Cavaillé-Coll organ has 46 stops; it was enlarged in 1933 and 1962 by Beuchet-Debierre, in 1983 by Jacques Barberis and in 2005 by Bernard Dargassies, reaching 71 stops. A statue of César Franck, its organist, stands in the square on the parvis.
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