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Sacré-Coeur is built on a vast scale to take full advantage of its commanding site. The architect Abadie was inspired by the Romano-Byzantine style. The domes, elongated into ovoid forms, the 80-meter bell-tower from which the Savoyarde bell can be heard, the whiteness of this monument which overlooks all of Paris, henceforth make it one of the major landmarks of the Parisian scenery. The building's extraordinary whiteness is a result of the material used in its construction; Chateau-Landon stone bleaches with age. The impressive façade with its triple-arched portico is surmounted by two bronze equestrian statues of St. Joan of Arc and St. Louis by H. Lefebvre, and the climax of the overall design is the statue of Christ, his hand raised in blessing. In contrast to the exterior, the interior is extensively decorated with mosaics; those in the apse over the high altar were designed by Luc-Olivier Merson and show Christ adored by the Virgin, St. Joan of Arc and St. Louis.
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Western Europe
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