La Madeleine, Paris

The interior of the church is supposed to show an interesting neo-classical décor but the church is so dark inside that apart from the high altar with some lights and a statue on the left side with a hundred lit candles most details are lost for the visitor.

The interior design of the Madeleine is of a remarkable homogeneity. This rare aesthetic unit for a church is due to the fact that the interior achievement was done in a short time. With its single nave the church has similarities with ancient basilicas. The cupolas with the weak lighting remember the Pantheon in Rome.
The columns of the nave are in Corinthian style like those outside.
Marble from various origins is the essential material for the decoration. The white marble from Carrare contrasts with the red marbles from Belgium. Gildings underline the ornaments.
The sculptures are due to famous artists of the first half of the 19th c.
They were directly carved in white stone or Carrara marble. No stuccos here.
If your nocturnal vision is superior to normal you will certainly appreciate the most remarkable decoration of this church.

Open: each day 9.30 - 19.00 h
A much visited church with 600.000 visitors/year.

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Beauty and originality were combined by Charles Marochetti who carved in white marble over a period of twelve years the altar piece called "Ravissement de Sainte Marie-Madeleine" (the ecstasy of holy Marie-Madeleine). According to tradition angels were supporting her body when she would leave the ground in ecstasy. According to the same tradition she ended her life in the Provence.
In the choir are also the reliquaries of Marie-Madeleine and Saint Vincent de Paul due to famous goldsmith Froment-Meurice.

Although this church is located in a commercial area, worship for Marie-Madeleine seems to be vivid from the number of lit candles to be seen left of the nave near the entrance.

The pipe organ of La Madeleine is famous. Built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1846 she is considered as one of the best in Paris. Cavaillé-Coll with his father had just finished the organ of the Basilica Saint-Denis when they made this one which an esthetical splendour and a great musicality. It is said that organists feel like concert virtuoso (the console is turned towards the altar) on this organ

It is not surprising that French composers Lefébure-Wély, Camille Saint-Saëns and Gabriel Fauré were organists at the Madeleine. The funerals of Frédéric Chopin, Saint-Saëns, and Fauré were held there.

In the seventies both the key and stop action of the organ has been electrified and the number of stops extended from the initial 46 to 58.
This organ was used for several recordings mainly by the present organist François-Henri Houbart with works of Vierne, Franck and Poulenc.

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The church "Sainte Marie-Madeleine" was commissioned in 1806 to architect Barthelemy Vignon by Napoleon to celebrate his "Grande Armee"'s (and his own) glory.
The building reemployed the remnant structures of some former unfinished attempts (in 1764 by Contant d'Ivry, later by Couture (those were interrupted between 1790 and 1806)).
The church's style is inspired from classical greek temples and supported by 20 meters high corynthian pillars.

The internal decoration is very rich in terms either of sculptures or of paintings; and, if you have a close look at some frescos, you may notice Napoleon featured among christian saints (the guy wasn't exactly modest).

Open every day from 7:30am to 7pm
The quietest time to visit is around noon when most tourists have lunch.

Right from the church, from tuesday to sunday, is a small flower market.

And on the same side, downstairs, you have the most elegant public toilets of Paris - Art nouveau style (it will cost you 0.40€).

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Dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, La Madeleine has an impressive Greek temple-like facade.

The construction of the church passed through different stages, not without problems, until 1806 when Napoleon entrusted Vignon to transform it into a "Temple of Glory" for the Great Army.

In 1842 the church was finally consecrated.
The exterior is dominated by the tall 52 Corinthian columns and the imposing steps.
The interior is on a single nave with a vestibule and an apsed chancel.

From the entrance a beautiful view of rue Royale to Place de la Concorde with its obelisk from Luxor can be admired.

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La Madeleine has an interesting history - its cornerstone was laid out in 1763, not long before the French Revolution. Although its foundations had been completed, the Revolution put a stop to the construction of the church. In 1806, Napoleon came up with the idea to transform it into a temple dedicated to the French armies, which would be called "Le Temple de la Gloire" (Temple of Glory). Construction of this temple began the following year, but the idea was abandoned before its completion. After coming close to becoming a train station, the building was finally completed in 1845 and became the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine church.

I don't know if it's because it is so different from the other churches in Paris, but I immediately fell in love with La Madeleine. Not only is its architecture awe-inspiring, but the many sculptures and paintings inside the church make it one of the most beautiful religious buildings in the city. But most of all I think I especially liked the church's pediment which features Jesus-Christ surrounded by virtue on the left and vice on the right. Marie-Madeleine is on the right, imploring Christ on her knees.

And again, on a completely different note, the underground restrooms that are located near the church are the nicest ones I've come across during my stay in Paris :o)

The Pinacothèque museum is located at the Place de la Madeleine next to the luxury Fauchon food shop. The pinacothèque specializes in temporary exhibitions.
Current exhibitions (2011):

"Romanov, tsars collectionneurs" from 26 January 2011 to 29 May 2011.
A collection of a hundred pieces from the St-Petersburg's Ermitage Museum.

"Esterházy, princes collectionneurs" from 26 January 2011 to 29 May 2011.

Hugo Pratt the creator of Corto Maltese, from March 17 through August 21, 2011.

Price: 10 €, combined ticket 17 €.

I mentionned here previously (2010) a very good exhibition on the the Dutch Golden Age, what explains the photo:
"The 17th Dutch century is indeed one of the best periods in the art of painting and perhaps not so well known in Paris although Le Louvre has a good department of the Northern Schools with two Vermeer.
This exhibition is organized in association with the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam (partially closed for works till 2013 ref. my tips).
There are 60 paintings in all the genres of the Dutch Golden Age and by the best masters: Rembrandt, Vermeer, Gerard ter Borch, Pieter de Hooch, Frans Hals, Jan van Goyen, Jacob van Ruysdael, Jan Steen, etc. and about 30 graphic works.
It is certainly a good introduction which I would recommend.
I have seen these works in Holland (if you are interested ref. my tips about the Amsterdam and Haarlem museums)."

If you pass by La Madeleine, you won't believe it's a church. It looks more than a greek temple than a catholic church. The style of the church is in fact of a Greek temple, with its bronze doors and huge corinthian columns. But it is nevertheless a church and also a venue for classical musical concerts.
One unsual tip: outside, to the right of the entrance of the church, on the street, you'll probably find the most luxurious public bathrooms all over the world. They were built in 1905 and they're entirely inspired by Art Noveau, with ceramic walls and wooden doors with stained glass.