LA MADELEINE

Description

Essentials about La Madeleine in brief

The parish church La Madeleine is one of the most important churches in Paris and probably the most unusual place of worship in the French capital in terms of building. Indeed, anyone standing in front of La Madeleine would not even guess from the outside that it is a church. The building, located between Place de la Concorde and the Opéra Garnier, looks more like a Greco-Roman temple without a cross or a bell tower.

The history and architecture of La Madeleine

The atypical shape of La Madeleine can be explained by the long history of its construction and the change of the building’s intended use. In 1764, under King Louis XV, the construction of a church was started at the current location. With its portico and a dome, it was supposed to offer a monumental view from the nearby and simultaneously laid out Place de la Concorde. However, the construction progressed slowly and in 1791, at a time when only parts of the outer walls and the columns of the portico were standing, the works were interrupted due to the French Revolution.

During the revolutionary period, there were various unrealized plans for the completion and use of the building, including as a stock exchange, a commercial court or a parliament building. In 1806, Napoleon I finally decided to build a hall of fame for his soldiers in the style of a Roman-ancient podium temple on the basis of the existing structure. After the Russian campaign in 1812, however, Napoleon abandoned this plan and returned to the original project of a church. Construction was not completed until 1842 and three years later La Madeleine was finally consecrated as a parish church.

The interior of La Madeleine

La Madeleine is not only an impressive church from the outside. The interior is also a must-see. After passing through the Corinthian portico and the two massive bronze gates, a magnificent interior opens up to the visitor, decorated with numerous paintings and sculptures. Especially worth seeing is the large mosaic in neo-Byzantine style and the statue of Mary Magdalene in the altar area. The patron saint of the church can be seen accompanied by two angels who escort her to heaven.

Another artistic masterpiece is the organ of La Madeleine, built in the style of the Italian Renaissance, on which various masters of classical music, such as Robert Schumann or Franz Liszt, have played. Last but not least, La Madeleine is also very famous for its funeral masses, which were held here for Frédéric Chopin, Jacques Offenbach, Coco Chanel, Josephine Baker, Marlene Dietrich and Johnny Hallyday, among others.