Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paray-le-Monial

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paray-le-Monial (French: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, pronounced [sakʁe kœʁ]), commonly known as Basilica of Paray-le-Monial, is a Romanesque church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Paray-le-Monial, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, eastern France.^[1] It is a popular landmark and one of the most visited religious site in France. The Sacred Heart of Jesus was an increasingly popular devotion since the visions of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690).^[2]

The church was built in the 12th century by Hugues de Semur, the most important of the abbots of Cluny, on the site of a 10th-century monastery founded by count Lambert of Chalon. It was a small-scale version of the Abbey of Cluny. It was completed in the 14th century, although some sections were added in the 18th century or renovated in the 19th century. As a priory, it was under the authority of Cluny and was a popular pilgrimage site. It is the best conserved example of Cluniac architecture in Burgundy.^[3]