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The Montmartre hill is at the north end of Paris, named after St-Denis and several other bishops who came to spread the gospel to the Gauls were martyred by the Romans in 272. It was a rural area until the 19th century, covered with vineyards and wheat fields, with 30 windmills to crush grapes and grind wheat. It is still a very picturesque quarter with squares and terraces on the hill, and some areas still have the atmosphere of a village. It has a 200-year history of being a haunt for artists, poets and writers and a seedy nightlife, although it is no longer what it once was. Here are some of the places that you should visit while you’re Monmartre.
Sacré-Coeur is the white, Romanesque and Byzantine onion-domed church at the top of the hill, built in the late 19th century. Climb its steep steps and see the fabulous panorama of Paris from the top of its bell tower. Its most important features are the Mosaic of Christ, the crypt, and the Bronze Doors. The stone used to build it secretes white lime in the rain, which keeps it white.
St-Jean l’Évangéliste de Montmartre is a 1904 red brick-faced church with an Islamic architectural flavor and an Art Nouveau flower motif on the interior.
Place du Tertre is the highpoint of the city of Paris, with restaurants and cafés and skilled portrait artists and street performers. There is a Salvador Dali exhibition off the square and the Musée de l'Art Juif, displaying both secular and religious Jewish art, ancient and modern. It has a model of ancient Jerusalem as well as lithographs and an illustrated Bible by Marc Chagall.
The Musée d'Art Naïf has an unusual and unique display of naïve art, characterized by a lack of perspective, simple themes, and flat bright colors.
Place des Abbesses is very picturesque, and its Métro station has one of the few original Art Nouveau entrances. Moulin de la Galette, built in 1622, is one of only 2 remaining windmills in Montmartre. It became a famous dance hall which inspired Van Gogh, who lived on the street, rue Lepic, and Renoir. Rue Lepic has good markets.
Le Moulin Rouge was made famous by the posters ToulouseLautrec did of its quinquin girls. It is still in operation, doing Las Vegas style shows. Au Lapin Agile was a very popular club frequented by intellectuals and artists in the late 1800's, and was Picasso's main haunt.
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