The Church of Saint-Augustin (Église Saint-Augustin) is a unique architectural and historical monument. Built between 1860 and 1871 by architect Victor Baltar, it became the first major religious building in Paris to use a visible cast iron and steel metal frame combined with stone cladding. This innovative approach for its time made it possible to create an impressive interior space without traditional buttresses, giving the building an unusual appearance at the junction of industrial and eclectic styles. The church was conceived as part of Baron Haussmann's urban development plan for the transformation of Paris and was to become the architectural dominant at the intersection of Malesherbe and Haussmann boulevards, completing the perspective from the Madeleine Church. Its dome is 80 meters high and 100 meters long, making it one of the largest temples in the city. The architectural style of Saint-Augustin is eclectic: it combines Romanesque, Byzantine and Gothic elements. The facade is decorated with a stained glass rose with a diameter of 8 meters, reinforced with cast iron fittings. Inside, gilded cast-iron columns decorated with polychrome angels by Louis Schroeder and painted domes by artist William Bouguereau attract attention. One of the unique features of the church is its layout: the building has a trapezoidal shape, where the altar is wider than the facade, and the side chapels gradually expand as they approach the choir. The church is also famous for its musical organs: the main organ, created by Charles Spackman Barker, was one of the first in the world to use electricity, and has 54 registers. Napoleon III planned to make this church the tomb of the Bonaparte dynasty.

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Анастасия

Level 22 Local Expert

The construction of the church began in 1860 and lasted 11 years. The construction was commissioned by architect Victor Baltar. The main problem is the need to fit the church into the V-shaped space between the streets. The problem was solved with the help of a new technology for that time — the church was assembled from metal trusses and lined with stone. The length of the church is more than 100 meters, the height of the dome is about 80 meters.

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Евгений

Level 30 Local Expert

We saw him on our way back from Printemps. A beautiful old church that cannot be passed by while walking along Osman Boulevard. It is located at a major intersection, so it is always noisy around.

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Église Saint-Augustin

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