Exterior view

The parish church of Saint-Sulpice was a basilica in the medieval tradition with side aisles, transept and ambulatory, housed in a classical structure. It was built by Daniel Gittard (1625-1686) from plans by Charles Gamard from 1646 on. Gittard completed the sanctuary, ambulatory, apsidal chapels, transept, and north portal (1670-78), after which construction was halted for lack of funds.

The west fa�ade was constructed in the eighteenth century after a competition held in 1732. The design was inspired by the entrance elevation of Christopher Wren’s Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London.

View Servandini’s plan of the west fa�ade.

Furthermore, view the the partially executed design (1751) by Servandoni for the principal (west) fa�ade of Saint-Sulpice, with a balustrade replacing the pediment. (The towers were erected later under the supervision of Oudot de Maclaurin.)

The engravings are from Jacques-Fran�ois Blondel, Architecture fran�oise (1752).

The photo shows the west fa�ade of the church.