The Église de la Sainte-Trinité () is a Roman Catholic church located on the place d'Estienne d'Orves, at 3 rue de la Trinité, in the

9th arrondissement of Paris The 9th arrondissement of Paris (''IXe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, it is referred to as (; "ninth"). The arrondissement, called Opéra, is located on the right bank of th ...

. It was built between 1861 and 1867 during the reign of Emperor

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...

, in the residential neighborhood of the Chaussée d'Antin. It is in the ornate

Neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th-century Revivalism (architecture), architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival architecture, Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival ar ...

Second Empire Style Second Empire style, also known as the Napoleon III style, is a highly Eclecticism in architecture, eclectic style of architecture and decorative arts originating in the Second French Empire. It was characterized by elements of many differe ...

, with a highly visible 65-meter-tall belfry. The church is accessible by the Métro (the nearby station, Trinité, is named after it). The rue de La Trinité also takes its name from the church.

History

The first church in the parish, which was then outside the city limits of Paris, was constructed en 1850 at 21 rue de Calais, but was too small for growing population and too far from the center of the parish. A second church was built in 1852 on the rue de Clichy, where the present-day Casino de Paris is located, but it also was too small. The Abbé Modelonde, the curé of the parish, appealed to Napoleon III to construct a larger new church. The church was part of the project for rebuilding and beautifying Paris carried out by Napoleon III and his prefect of the Seine,

Baron Haussmann Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

during the

Second French Empire The Second French Empire, officially the French Empire, was the government of France from 1852 to 1870. It was established on 2 December 1852 by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, president of France under the French Second Republic, who proclaimed hi ...

. This included the creation of new boulevards, parks and squares, and new landmarks such as the

Paris Opera The Paris Opera ( ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be kn ...

. La Trinité, as it became known, was designed by to serve a growing residential community in the Chaussée d'Antin, which Napoleon III had brought into Paris by expanding the city limits. The church and other new buildings Napoleon IIi commissioned were designed to be tall and visible, and were placed at the meeting points of the new avenues that criss-crossed the city. The architect was Théodore Ballu, chief architect of Paris for religious buildings, whose other Paris works included the restoration of the Saint-Jacques Tower, (1854–58); the belfry of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois (1858–63); and the Église Saint-Ambroise, (1863–69). Construction began in 1861 and was largely completed by 1867,but it was not entirely finished and consecrated until 1913. In the winter of 1870–71, when Paris was surrounded and besieged by the Prussians in the

Franco-Prussian War The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...

, the church was put to use as a hospital, since it was one of the few large Paris buildings with a working furnace. A large stove was also placed in the nave, which darkened the ceiling with its smoke. The chapels were turned into a pharmacy, linen closet, laundry and storerooms, and a large stove was placed in the nave to provide additional heat. During the

Paris Commune The Paris Commune (, ) was a French revolutionary government that seized power in Paris on 18 March 1871 and controlled parts of the city until 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard (France), Nation ...

, on 12 May 1871, the building was confiscated from the Catholic church and used as a meeting hall for a club of Communard women called the Club of Deliverance. During the

Semaine Sanglante The ''Semaine sanglante'' ("") was a weeklong battle in Paris from 21 to 28 May 1871, during which the French Army recaptured the city from the Paris Commune. This was the final battle of the Paris Commune. Following the Treaty of Frankfurt ...

, the final battle of the Commune, the furniture was piled up and the church was armed as a Commune fortress, but the Commundards were forced to withdraw when the church was bypassed by the advancing French army. The church had a particular connection with French music: it was the location of

Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. He gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote man ...

's funeral, on 13 November 1868;

Hector Berlioz Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the ''Symphonie fantastique'' and ''Harold en Italie, Harold in Italy'' ...

's funeral, on 11 March 1869; and

Georges Bizet Georges Bizet (; 25 October 18383 June 1875) was a French composer of the Romantic music, Romantic era. Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, ''Carmen'', w ...

's funeral in 1875. Later, in 1931, composer

Olivier Messiaen Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithology, ornithologist. One of the major composers of the 20th-century classical music, 20th century, he was also an ou ...

was appointed organist at the church, a post which he would hold until his death 61 years later. The church's facade served as the inspiration for the design of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church in

Quebec City Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...

and the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in

Sacramento, California Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat, seat of Sacramento County, California, Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento Rive ...

Exterior

The exterior of the church has elements of French Renaissance architecture combined with

Italian Renaissance architecture Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought ...

, which were often joined in imaginative ways during the reign of

. The most impressive feature is the bell tower, 65 meters high. The lower bell tower is square, topped by an octagonal tower crowned by a dome, in the style of French Renaissance architecture. The facade is given symmetry and harmony by two smaller domed bell towers on the corners. The sculptures in the niches of the facade were made by different prominent Paris artists, most of whom were winners of the prestigious Prix de Rome. One group depicts depict doctors of the church defending it against various heresies; another grouop depicts, Saints. Groups of statues on either side of the facade depict the Cardinal Virtues, Prudence, Justice, Temperance and Force. The statue of "Strength", is by sculptor James Pradier(1792–1852), and carries a sword on his right side. "Temperance" was made by

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (; 11 May 1827 – 12 October 1875) was a French sculptor and painter during the Second Empire under Napoleon III. Life Born in Valenciennes, Nord, son of a mason, his early studies were under François Rude. Carpe ...

(1827–1875) File:Eglise Trinité clocher 2012.jpg, The Bell tower File:Église Ste Trinité Paris 7.jpg, Detail of the upper façade File:PA00088906 - Église de la Sainte-Trinité (statue entree principale).jpg, Sculpture on the cornice of the façade File:Iglesia de La Santísima Trinidad - Paris - France.JPG, The façade File:Eglise de la Sainte Trinite 聖三教堂 - panoramio.jpg, Detail of the bell tower

Interior

The 93-meter-long church has an iron frame, which allowed much greater open space in the interior. The interior is lavishly decorated, a feature enhanced by the large windows on the upper level made with a minimum of colored glass and a majority of white decor glass, which provide abundant light. Polychrome paintings decorate much of the top level, contrasting with the white walls and columns of the lower level, and the entire interior has lavish sculptural decoration.

Nave

The nave has two levels. The lower level is decorated with pillars alongside composite columns. Each column has two statues of apostles, identified by their symbols. The second level has a tribune which was originally intended for the use of Emperor Napoleon III. Over the tribune is a triuphal arch painted with a scene from the

Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre originating in Judaism in the centuries following the Babylonian exile (597–587 BCE) but persisting in Christianity and Islam. In apocalypse, a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a ...

described by Saint John, "Christ and the Easter Lamb", by the painter Jobbé-Duval. The nave is lined on both sides by small chapels, each with abundant decoration. The sculpture and paintings in the chapels are the work of Paris artists, the majority of whom had studied their art at the Academy in Rome run by the French Academy in Rome. Paris. The carvings of the pulpit in the nave were made by the artist Denuelle. It is similar to the pulpit in the church of Saint-François-Xavier, Paris, from the same period. File:Paris, La Trinité, Innenraum (8).jpg, The nave, facing the choir File:Paris, La Trinité, Innenraum (9).jpg, Rear of the church. The nave and organ on the tribune over the portal File:Eglise de la Trinité @ Paris (31331012751).jpg, The pulpit in the nave, where sermons were read

Choir

The choir is ten steps higher than the nave, due to the sloping site under the church, and is surrounded by an

ambulatory The ambulatory ( 'walking place') is the covered passage around a cloister or the processional way around the east end of a cathedral or large church and behind the high altar. The first ambulatory was in France in the 11th century but by the 13t ...

. The central element of the choir is an immense main altar, created by Puissielgue-Rusand, who also built the altar for the church of Saint-Francois-Xavier in Paris. It is surrounded by ten columns, representing the Ten Commandments. In front of the altar, on a high stand, is a more modern crucifix, which was made in 1992 by the sculptor Philippe Kaeppelin. Over the altar is an arch with a monumental painting by Barrias, illustrating the Holy Trinity. The centre figure of God the Father is enveloping with his cloak figures of Christ and the Holy Ghost. File:Paris, La Trinité, Innenraum (5).jpg, The Choir File:Eglise de la Trinité @ Paris (31331000141).jpg, The altar in the choir File:Eglise de la Trinité @ Paris (30638786203).jpg, Ceiling of the Choir

Chapels

The largest chapel is the Chapel of the Virgin, placed in the traditional location in the apse directly behind the altar, facing the morning son, and accessed by an ambulatory. A series of small chapels are placed in the arcades on either side of the choir, each one decorated with classical paintings by artists from the Academy of Fine Arts. The artists who decorated the church chapels went on to decorate many of the new churches built in the 19th century. File:Église de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris July 2013.jpg, The Chapel of the Virgin, in the apse File:Eglise de la Trinité @ Paris (31076374740).jpg, Chapel of the Sacred Heart, painting by Romain Cazes File:Paris, La Trinité, Innenraum (3).jpg, Chapel of Saint Joseph, painting of Joseph and Mary by Eugène Thirion. File:Chapelle Sainte Geneviève Trinité.JPG, Chapel of Saint Genevieve File:Chapelle Sainte Geneviève Trinité Paris.JPG, Chapel of Saint Genevieve

Art and decoration

Paintings

Paintings by several of the major French history and religion painters of the 19th century, including Désiré François Laugée, and Jean-Jules-Antoine Lecomte du Nouÿ are found in the church. The decoration continues on the upper walls and the vaults, filling them with colors and floral designs. File:Mort de Saint Denis l’Aréopagite - Désiré-François Laugée.jpg, "The Death of Saint Denis" by Désiré François Laugée File:Eglise de la Trinité @ Paris (31301479152).jpg, "Baptism of Christ" in the Baptistry File:Saint Vincent de Paul ramene des galériens à la foi Lecomte de Nouy.jpg, "Saint Vincent de Paul converts the Galley prisoners" by Jean-Jules-Antoine Lecomte du Nouÿ File:Paris 9 - Eglise de la Sainte-Trinité - Baptistère -2.jpg, "Adam and Eve driven from Paradise" (Bapistry)

Sculpture

The church has many works made by prominent Paris sculptors both on the exterior and in the church. The sculptures of Charles Gumery, who created a marble Virgin Mary for the holy water basins at the church entrance, also made statues for the facade of the Opera Garnier, the new Paris Opera. His statue of

Circe In Greek mythology, Circe (; ) is an enchantress, sometimes considered a goddess or a nymph. In most accounts, Circe is described as the daughter of the sun god Helios and the Oceanid Perse (mythology), Perse. Circe was renowned for her vast kn ...

is displayed on the south façade of the Cour Carrée in the

Louvre Museum The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...

(1860) File:Paris IX Sainte-Trinité Grégopire le Grand.JPG,

Pope Gregory I Pope Gregory I (; ; – 12 March 604), commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great (; ), was the 64th Bishop of Rome from 3 September 590 until his death on 12 March 604. He is known for instituting the first recorded large-scale mission from Ro ...

on the church facade, by Mathurin Moreau (1822-1912) File:Interior of Église de la Sainte-Trinité de Paris Charles Gumery, zwei Engelstatuen aus Marmor (La Pureté und L'Innocence) 02.jpg, "Purity and Innocence", marble statue by Charles Gumery (1827-1881) File:Paris 9e Sainte-Trinité 71.JPG, Mathurin Moreau, ''Saint Jérôme''.

Stained glass

The church has a particularly notable collection of 19th-century stained glass. The most prominent windows are those in the Chapel of the Virgin. The upper windows in the chapel were made by Eugene Oudinot and Auguste Leloir, and illustrate scenes from the life of the Virgin. The lower windows behind the altar are more abstract and full of colour; they were made by the glass master craftsman Nicod. File:Paris, La Trinité, Innenraum (4).jpg, Abstract window by Paul Nicod File:Paris Sainte-Trinité522.JPG, Abstract windows by Paul Nicod File:Paris Sainte-Trinité483.JPG, Detail from abstract window File:Paris Sainte-Trinité518.JPG, Abstract Lower central window in Chapel of the Virgin, by Paul Nicod File:Paris Sainte-Trinité501.JPG, Scene from life of Virgin Mary, with Joseph in upper window of Chapel of Virgin File:Paris Sainte-Trinité503.JPG, Scene from the life of the Virgin Mary, Chapel of Virgin File:Paris Sainte-Trinité502.JPG, Virgin with Child, Chapel of Virgin

Decoration

File:Eglise de la Trinité @ Paris (31330985081).jpg, Wrought-iron grill File:Eglise de la Trinité @ Paris (31446823245).jpg, Mural over the choir, "The Holy Trinity" by Barrias (choir) File:Eglise de la Trinité @ Paris (31301557402).jpg, Ceiling decoration

Organs

File:Paris, La Trinité, Hauptorgel (8).jpg, The main organ on the tribune File:P1230163 Paris IX elise Ste-Trinité orgue choeur rwk.jpg, The choir organ La Trinité features two organs, a Cavaillé-Coll chancel organ and a Cavaillé-Coll grand organ located in the balcony. The latter instrument has been extensively renovated and expanded over the decades: * 1869 Original construction by the Cavaillé-Coll firm * 1871 Reconstruction and repairs by the Cavaillé-Coll firm after damages incurred during the

of 1870 * 1901 Rebuilding by Merklin * 1934 Rebuilding by the Pleyel-Cavaillé-Coll firm * 1962–65 Rebuilding by the Beuchet-Debierre firm The current specifications of the grand organ are:

Organists

The French composer

(1908–1992) entered the Paris Conservatory at the age of eleven, and was appointed organist at the church in 1931, at the age of twenty-three. He held the post for 61 years until his death in 1992. During this period he wrote many of his most important works. The titular organists at La Trinité include * Charles-Alexis Chauvet (1869–1871) * Alexandre Guilmant (1871–1901) * Charles Quef (1901–1931) *

(1931–1992) * Naji Hakim (1993–2008) * (since 1999) * Loïc Mallié (since 2011)

Notes and citations

Bibliography (in French)

*Dumoulin, Aline; Ardisson, Alexandra; Maingard, Jérôme; Antonello, Murielle; ''Églises de Paris'' (2010), Éditions Massin, Issy-Les-Moulineaux, (in French)

External links

L'Église de la Trinité home page

Article in patrimoine-histoire.fr, on the history and art of the church {{Authority control Churches completed in 1867 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in France Eglise de la Sainte-Trinite 1867 establishments in France