Church of St. Herman in the meadows as translated from the French Saint-Germain-de-Pres, - the oldest in Paris. Already at the time of the Roman legionaries in the I century, there was a Christian church. Later, in the Merovingian era, there appeared the abbey, which today remains only the church.

The appearance of the abbey associated with the name of the King of the Franks Childebert I. He had brought from Spain, a priceless relic - the coat deacon of the church of St. Vincent of Saragossa, martyred under the Roman Emperor Diocletian. King was ordered to beat the coat to the gate of the city, but the bishop of Paris Herman advised the king to establish a monastery to hold relics. Name buried here and the bishop was given the abbey in the year 576.

Childebert I found a resting place, too, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Besides him, there were three more buried king of the Merovingian dynasty - Chilperic I, Fredegund and Clotaire II. In those ancient times, thus became the forerunner of the abbey of Saint-Denis - the first royal necropolis of the future of France.

In 885 the abbey was completely looted and burned by the Vikings, raised in combat Drakkar on the Seine to Paris. The current church began to be built in the XI century, it was rebuilt three times. As a result, her intricately connected Romanesque and Gothic styles.

During the French Revolution in Saint-Germain-des-Prés located a prison, there were executed more than two hundred priests. Then the temple was adapted for storage of ammonium nitrate needed in the manufacture of gunpowder. Then the abbey together with a rich library destroyed by fire. In the XIX century restored building returned to the church.

Today, the royal burial place of Saint-Germain-des-Prés transferred to Saint-Denis. The old church has remained the only relic of the royal rank - here lies the heart of the great French philosopher and mathematician Rene Descartes. Catholic scientist died in exile in Sweden, and was buried in the Protestant cemetery in the country for the non-baptized. Can appease the heart of a scientist among the ancient stones, France paid tribute to his great son.