Church Saint-Eustache
Metro : Les Halles
Situated
at the entrance to Paris’
ancient markets (Les Halles) and the beginning of the famous rue
Montorgeuil, the Eglise de Saint-Eustache is another Parisian gothic
gem. The church’s reputation was strong enough of the time for it to be
chosen as the location for a young Louis XIV to receive communion.
Mozart also chose the sanctuary as the location for his mother’s
funeral. Among those baptised here as children were Richelieu,
Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, future Madame de Pompadour and
Molière, who was also married here two decades later. The last
rites for Anne of Austria, Turenne and Mirabeau were pronounced within
its walls. Situated in an area of Paris renowned for fresh produce of
all kinds, the church became a parish in 1223, thanks to a man named
Alais who achieved this by taxing the baskets of fish sold nearby. To
thank such devine generosity Alais constructed a chapel dedicated to
Sainte-Agnès, Roman martyr. The construction of today’s church
began in 1532, the work not being finally completed until 1637. The
name Saint-Eustache comes from a Roman General who was burned along
with his family for converting to Christianity. Several paintings by
Rubens remain in the church today. We are reminded of the musical
significance of the church each summer with organ concerts,
commemorating the premieres of Berlioz’s Te Deum and Liszt’s Messiah
here in 1886.
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