High up in the Paris neighbourhood of Montmartre stands an exquisite piece of architecture - the Sacre Coeur, or "Sacred Heart" of the city. It's brilliant white stone reflects the sun on a bright day, standing as a pure beacon on the Montmartre hill.

The laying of the foundation stone in 1884 was closely associated with the founding of the Third French Republic, the constitution of which was adopted the same year. The Basilica was controversial in that it was built "to expiate the crimes of the Communards" as some people at the time put it. It was also seen as a memorial to the many French citizens who lost their lives in the Paris Commune (1871) and the Franco-Prussian War.

The stained glass of the Basilica was destroyed by German bombardment during the World War II and was restored after the war ended.