Église de Sainte-Mère-Église

The Église de Sainte-Mère-Église is a parish church featuring a square bell tower and stone walls that combine Romanesque foundations with Gothic architectural details. The interior contains a choir, nave, and several smaller chapels arranged in the traditional cruciform layout.

The building was founded in the 12th century and combines Romanesque origins with later Gothic modifications. It gained worldwide prominence in June 1944 when military events connected it permanently to major World War II history in Western Europe.

The church serves as both an active place of worship and a memorial space where visitors from around the world gather to reflect. The local community continues to use it for services while honoring the connection to the events that made it known worldwide.

The building is easy to view from outside with the spire clearly visible from the street, and a paratrooper figure serves as a visual landmark. The location is readily accessible and generally open to visitors, though it's wise to check opening times before planning a visit.

A paratrooper figure has hung from the spire for decades, commemorating a soldier whose parachute got caught there during the night of the military operation. This fixture has become a worldwide memorial to one of the most recognizable images from that period.