The Basilique Sacre-Coeur was designed by the architect Paul Abadie in a Romanesque-Bysantine architectural style. Its foundation stone was laid in 1875 and the bascilica was not completed until 1914 and not officially opened for worship until 1919, after the end of the First World War.
The site is traditionally associated with the beheading of the city's patron, Saint Denis, in the 3rd century. According to legend, after he was martyred, Bishop Denis pick up his severed head and carried it several miles to the north where the city of Saint Denis stands today.
A climb to the top of the dome provides an excellent view of Paris - at 271 feet above Montmartre Hill it is the second highest viewpoint after the Eiffel Tower - and the walk around the inside of the dome alone is worth the climb.
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