St Sulpice Church, Paris, late 18th century

The Saint-Sulpice Church is a Catholic parish church located in the Odéon district, in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.
Over the centuries, its construction has undergone numerous projects and phases. Begun in 1645, the reconstruction of the church as we know it today took a century. Several architects succeeded one another. The result, which is very harmonious, is a successful synthesis of Gothic and Classical traditions. Gothic elements include the nave and aisles, a slightly projecting transept, a rounded chancel and radiating chapels, and a vault rising to a height of 33 metres. Classical elements include ornamentation evoking Christian antiquity, the Corinthian order, a barrel vault pierced by large windows, etc.
The complex reflects the major programme of the Catholic Reformation of the Council of Trent (1542–63): to bring the faithful closer to the altar, to promote visibility and the gathering of the parish community, through a vast, open and light-filled building.