Inside Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis

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Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis, 1641
Rue Saint-Antoine, Marais
Quartier Saint-Gervais, 4th arrondissement
Paris, July 2004

“Its design included traditional French elements as well as others inspired by Italy. In effect, as André Chastel put it, ‘the Jesuit order, even while recommending certain aspects, was attentive to local traditions.’ Also, it can easily be compared to the Gesu in Rome, though it is longer and wider than that church. Its plan is a compromise between the Gesu's single nave flanked by side chapels and the traditional French cruciform plan, as is to be seen in its long transepts. The tall windows in these prominent transepts and the short eastern apse allow in large amounts of light, and the dome under the crossing also recalls Italian architecture of a slightly earlier period, such as that of Carlo Maderno. In contrast, the high proportions (the dome is 55 metres high) are more comparable to French Gothic architecture.” (Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis, Wikipedia)