Saint-Augustin Church by Victor Baltard

The Saint-Augustin church with its spotless clean restored façade and its eclectic mix of architectural styles draws attention! The thirteen statues are easy to identify: Jesus surrounded by the twelve apostles. The porch is decorated with three scenes representing virtues, and made of enamelled lava tiles with vibrant colours.

If you happen to walk by the 8th arrondissement, make sure to stop and have a look inside! The gilded cast iron rose window is a hint that this monument is rather "recent". A church built between 1861 to 1871 qualifies for "recent" in Paris!

This is the work of Victor Baltard, an Architect who pioneered building with steel. That is precisely the material he used for the inner structure of the church, as you will see upon entering. The church was originally commissioned as a resting place for princes of the imperial family by Napoleon III.