★★★★★ 5.0
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Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre
That massive stone slab pressed against the right wall isn't just any rock - it's an actual paving stone from the ancient Roman road that connected Paris to Orleans two thousand years ago! You're standing at one of Paris's oldest church sites, where famous scholars like Dante and Thomas Aquinas once studied. This tiny church is the ONLY surviving 12th century parish church in all of Paris, and inside that golden screen was handcrafted in Damascus in 1890!
Did You Know?
- Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre is one of Paris’s oldest churches, built in the 12th century on the site of a 6th-century oratory and Merovingian hospice that sheltered pilgrims—making it a rare survivor of Paris’s early medieval religious architecture. Its original purpose as a refuge for the poor and pilgrims is still reflected in its modest size and name.
- The church is famous for its unique blend of Romanesque and early Gothic architecture, with beautiful 13th-century capitals carved with water lilies and mythical creatures, and piers that echo those of Notre-Dame—yet it was never fully completed, so you can see ‘unfinished’ medieval features, like an incomplete triforium and a missing tower. Since 1889, it has served the Melkite Greek Catholic (Byzantine) community, and inside you’ll find a stunning gold iconostasis and icons instead of statues or an organ—a surprising Eastern touch in the heart of Paris.
- Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre was once the meeting place for the University of Paris’s scholars and students—including legendary figures like Dante and Thomas Aquinas—and hosted college assemblies for three centuries, making it a hub of medieval intellectual life. Today, it remains a quiet, atmospheric spot, with a charming little square outside featuring Paris’s oldest tree (an acacia planted in 1601) and one of the best views of Notre-Dame—perfect for families seeking a peaceful, historic corner of the city.