Saint-Roch

Paris, France

The Church of Saint-Roch is a late Baroque church built between 1653 and 1740. In 1521, the tradesman Jean Dinocheau had a chapel built on the outskirts of Paris, which he dedicated to Saint Susanna. In 1577, his nephew Etienne Dinocheau had it extended into a larger church. In 1629, it became the parish church and thereafter underwent further work. The first stone of the church of Saint-Roch was laid by Louis XIV in 1653, accompanied by his mother Anne of Austria. Originally designed by Jacques Lemercier, the building's construction was halted in 1660 and was resumed in 1701 under the direction of architect Jacques Hardouin-Mansart, brother of the better-known Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Work was finally completed in 1754.

At the time of the French Revolution, the church of Saint-Roch was often at the centre of events and was the scene of many shootings which have left their mark on the façade. 13 Vendémiaire was one such occasion, this was pivotal in the rise of Napoleon. It was not only the outside of the church that was damaged. During the Revolution it was ransacked, and many works of art were stolen or destroyed. Amongst the missing paintings was one of Dinocheau, a generous donor, who built the first church on this spot.

The church is organized as a series of chapels. One of them is dedicated to Saint Susanna in memory of the church which used to stand in its place. Accordingly, there is a mural painting above the altar, showing Saint Susanna fleeing her attackers, and looking up to the heavens for the help of God. The church is also notable as a result of the marriage there of the Marquis de Sade on May 17, 1763.

Notable tombs in the church included those of Denis Diderot, the Baron d'Holbach, Henri de Lorraine-Harcourt, Pierre Corneille, André le Nôtre, Marie Anne de Bourbon (daughter of Louis XIV) and Marie-Thérèse Rodet Geoffrin.

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Details

Founded: 1653
Category: Religious sites in France

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Brian Page (10 months ago)
The Church service is in French and was very nice. The church is a hidden gem with lots to see inside.
Peter Monge (10 months ago)
A hidden gem in the middle of Paris. Despite being so unkept and badly maintained you can still enjoy the historical and magnificent art that draws you closer to our Lord. It’s sad to see it’s deterioration. However, it’s true beauty still comes across and forces you to imagine of what once was.
lotti (14 months ago)
Very old and big church. Churches are usually very cool inside especially on a very hot summerday, this one was very good to just cool down and relax. The church itself is very beautiful, you can see they dont have the funds to really renovate but the building is huge and so pretty. Absolutely a secret tip :)
William Whatley (14 months ago)
The altar of this church is a sight to behold! I came to this church on a whim when in Paris. I was in the area and decided to enter during mass. It was a brilliant thing to experience, even if I know absolutely no French!
D F (Fun Law) (17 months ago)
Good for quick tour if in the area shopping.
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