Église St-Germain-des-Prés in Paris

The St-Germain-des-Prés, or St-Germain-des-Prés Church, is the oldest church in Paris, with most of the present Romanesque structure from the 12th Century, and some carved capitals and the church’s tower from the 11th Century. However, the church was originally completed in AD 558 and consecrated by the Archbishop of Paris, Monseigneur Saint-Germain. The abbey was to be a pantheon for Merovingian kings. However, many of them were buried in the Chapelle de St-Symphorien, which was restored in 1981.The church now holds the remains of the man who commissioned its construction, King Childebert I, the Merovigian King.

St-Germain-des-Prés Church was initially built to house the True Cross, which was brought from Spain in AD 542. The church also contains the tomb of Poland’s King Jean-Casimir, about of the church in 1669. During the French Revolution, the remains of Rene Descartes, Jean Mabillon, Bernard de Montfaucon and Nicolas Boileau were placed in the Musée des Petits Augustins. Later they were moved to the St-Germain-des-Prés Church. The funeral stone of the philosopher Descartes is displayed in the church’s second chapel, since 1819. However, it is said that only his heart is here, and the rest of him is buried in the Pantheon.

Some say that the church was destroyed by the Vikings in the 9th Century, and reconstructed by the abbot Morard soon after. The Normans almost destroyed the abbey four times. The church was expanded by Pope Alexander III in 1163, but the abbey was eventually completely destroyed during the French Revolution, luckily the church itself was spared. The only remaining original parts of the building are the marble columns in the triforium. The carved capitals on the pillars are replicas of the originals, which are kept in the Musée National du Moyen-Age.

During the French Revolution, the church was transformed into a torture chamber for over 200 Parisians who were eventually slaughtered there. It was also converted into a gunpowder munitions store, which was ignited and destroyed the framework of the church, along with its treasures, including its library of theology volumes. Much of the abbey was then utterly destroyed to make way for Place Saint-Germain des Près, which today faces the church.

Visitors to St-Germain-des-Prés Church may not realize that it also houses a small picture by Picasso in dedication to his friend – the poet Guillaume Apollinaire. The frescos in the nave are pinted by a student of the classical painter, Ingres. The church was designed to support the wonderful acoustics which are ideal for recitals and concerts.

The Café des Deux Magots faces the church and was the favorite hot spot for the likes of Simone de Beauvoir and café philosopher Jean-Paul Sarte. For a front-row seat to the church’s performances, recitals and concerts, arrive early to purchase your tickets for 25 to 45 EUR.