Église du Sacré-Cœur de Lille (Sacred Heart Church)

Church in Lille

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Peter Potrowl.

The Church of the Sacred Heart is one of the largest churches in Lille, measuring 90 meters in length, 24 meters in width, and reaching a height of 22 meters at its tallest point. It was erected as a result of a solemn vow made by the Association of the Children of Mary of the Sacred Heart on October 7, 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War. The group promised to build a church in gratitude if Lille was spared from the impending invasion—a promise that would shape the church’s foundation and legacy.

Designed in the Neo-Gothic style by architect Jules Batigny, the church was built in two main phases. The first phase, completed between 1875 and 1878, laid the foundation of the main structure. The second phase, carried out between 1895 and 1898, added the Chapel of the Vow—a dedicated apsidal chapel located behind the choir, adorned with eleven stained-glass windows. This addition fulfilled a separate vow by a group of Lille women, who sought to create a space within the church for personal prayer and devotion to the Sacred Heart. The church was officially consecrated on June 20, 1902, though its bell tower remained unfinished at the time.

The 75-meter bell tower, designed by Charles Sarazin, was completed in 1928 using reinforced concrete—a modern material that later succumbed to weather-related deterioration. This required an extensive restoration campaign, which was completed between 2005 and 2008. Although the church once featured a carillon, its bells have not rung in recent years. In April 2018, the church was temporarily closed for six months due to dry rot concerns, and as of today, only seven of its twelve canopies have been restored, with the remainder awaiting repair. Since 1983, the Church of the Sacred Heart has been listed as a National Historic Monument, recognized for both its architectural merit and the deep civic and spiritual meaning it holds for the people of Lille.

The Église du Sacré-Cœur de Lille (Sacred Heart Church) appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Lille!

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