About the Church of Saint Roch in Paris, France:
The Church of Saint-Roch (Église Saint-Roch) is a major late-Baroque and Classical landmark in Paris, renowned as the “artists’ parish” due to its rich collection of religious art and the many famous creative figures buried there. The church functions as a virtual museum, housing 18th and 19th-century masterpieces by artists such as Falconet, Chassériau, and Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. It is notably the chaplaincy for performing artists.
At 413 feet (126 meters) long, it is one of the largest churches in Paris (Notre Dame is only slightly larger at 128 meters). The design of the facade was inspired by the Church of the Gesù n Rome, the mother church of the Jesuit order and first Baroque church in Rome, and even more by Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis (1641, the first Baroque church in Paris. It follows a unique north-south axis rather than the traditional east-west orientation inorder to align with Rue Saint-Honoré. Its facade still bears scars from cannon fire from October 1795 (13 Vendémiaire), when a young Napoleon Bonaparte used artillery to suppress a Royalist uprising on the church’s steps.
The Chapel of the Virgin at the very back is one of the highlights, featuring an enormous oval dome painted by Jean-Baptiste Pierre.
Entombed in the Church of Saint Roch are several influential figures, including philosopher Denis Diderot, playwright Pierre Corneille, and royal gardener André Le Nôtre.
Traveling to the Church of Saint Roch in Paris, France:
As an active parish, the Church of Saint Roch offers regular masses in both French and Latin. Visiting is recommended on the second Thursday of the month for specialized free guided tours.
Saint Roch Church is located in the 1st arrondissement near the Tuileries Garden and the Louvre.
Address: 284 Rue Saint-Honoré.
Phone: +33 1 42 44 13 20
Click here for the official website of the Church of Saint Roch in Paris, France.