Sacré Coeur Basilica

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, ( Basilique du Sacré-Coeur ) is a Catholic basilica designed in the Roman-byzantine style by architect Paul Abadie. It's located at the highest point in Paris, on the top of Montmartre. Because of this the building has become a recognized landmark and symbol of the city. The basilica was created in penance for the excesses and sins of French society in the mid-18th century. Entirely financed by private donations, it was completed in 1914, after 39 years of construction, and consecrated in 1919 following the end of World War I. The names of the donors are carved in stone. The basilica includes several monuments to France, including bronze equestrian statues of two French Saints; Joan of Arc and King Louis IX. The huge 19-ton bell was cast in Annecy in 1895 in commemoration of the 1860 annexation of the Savoie region.