Saint Séverin

There are some 230 religious buildings in Paris, including mosques and different “temples”. The Roman Catholic churches are of course dominating – there are some 135. Here is another one, Saint Séverin, one of the oldest still around, situated in the Latin Quarter. The name of the church comes from a hermit who lived here during the 6th century. After his death a basilica was built - another one destroyed by the Vikings. The church we find today was commenced during the 11th century, but the major parts date from the 15th century which explains the late gothic architecture. It has a bell, which is the oldest in Paris, from 1412. Inside, there are some like palm tree looking pillars. Some of the stained glass windows are origin, but many have been added later, including some during the last century.

On the outside, the gargoyles are numerous and remarkable. On one side of the church there is a small square surrounded by some gothic niches. This is not what remains of an old monastery, but it used to be a graveyard – not in use today. The niches contained graves of “notables”; in the middle there was a mass grave.