Montmartre
by Hemakumar Nanayakkara
 Montmartre is a hill in the
north central part of Paris. The Montmartre Hill is the highest natural
point in Paris where one could experience a breathtaking panoramic view
of this gorgeous city below. This hill is about 130m high and is
surrounded by the Montmartre district which is the 18th arrondissement
(district) of the city of Paris. The peak of Montmartre Hill is crowned
by the Roman-Catholic Basilica Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart Church). It is
one of the main attractions of Paris. The architect of this eyecatching
structure was Paul Abadie, who also worked on restoration of Cathedral
Notre - Dame de Paris (Cathedral Our Lady of Paris).
The construction began in 1876 and took about 40 years for
completion.
The architectural style of this church is a mixture of Romanesque and
Byzantine. The 83m tall structure is built of Travertine stone. The
interior is attractively designed with beautiful paintings and statues.
The church bell weighs 19 tons, one of the heaviest in the world.
Montmatre is the place to be when the sun goes down over the skies of
Paris.
The illuminated Sacre-Coeur glistens like a precious jewel on the top
of the Hill. From its steps that lead to the city on the bottom, usually
a multicultural musical extravaganza spreads in the air. The street
singers gather on the steps and perform their melodious songs in
different languages.
Place du Terte a square in the Montmartre Hill, is located only a few
blocks away from Sacre-Coeur Church. This location is an attractive
place where the artists gather with their creative work. The whole area
is sort of an open air art gallery, where visitors often pose for quick
portraits. One could see many restaurants and coffee shops in this area,
where live music is played. Many pancake and ice cream stalls are also
available in this crowded square which is dominated by artists.
Many famous artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Henry
Matisse, Pierre - Augustine Renoir, Maurice Utrillo, Pablo Picasso and
Salvador Dali lived in Montmartre and painted their inspirations from
this area. At the foot of the Montmartre Hill, down the Boulevard Clichy
one could instantly spot one of the most famous Cabaret theatres in the
world named Moulin Rouge (Red Windmill). This is where the famous French
dance “Cancan” was initially performed. Montmartre is famous for its
artists, performers and bohemian lifestyle. Today the Montmartre is an
internationally well known area for its energetic nightlife. This place
became even more popular among tourists after its appearence in famous
movies such as Amelie and Moulin Rouge. |
