Saint Paul Saint Louis Church , Paris — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis is a landmark of the Marais district and the first church in Paris to completely abandon the Gothic style in favour of Baroque architecture.

The church was built between 1627 and 1641 by the Jesuit order, on the orders of Louis XIII. Its design, by architects Etienne Martellange and Francois Derand, was inspired by the Gesu Church in Rome, the mother church of the Jesuits. The first mass was celebrated on May 9, 1641, by Cardinal Richelieu himself.

The church's history is intertwined with French royalty. It once held urns containing the hearts of Louis XIII and Louis XIV. During the French Revolution, the heart of Louis XIII was reportedly seized by a painter who ground it up to use the material for pigment. The heart of Louis XIV was later returned to the church.

Another notable parishioner was Antoine Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry and a major patron of the church, who was guillotined during the Reign of Terror in 1794.

The 55-metre dome was the first of its kind in Paris and influenced the design of later Parisian churches. The interior retains much of its Baroque decoration, including paintings by Delacroix.

If you're on a Questo quest through the Marais, Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis is a stop where a king's heart, a chemist's guillotine, and the birth of Parisian Baroque all share the same walls.