The Church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois, located in the heart of Paris, near the eastern wing of the Louvre. She called the name of St. Herman Auxerre - Bishop Gallo-Roman era, one of the most revered saints in France.

The very first church stood on this site was destroyed during the Great Siege of Paris by the Vikings in 885-886 years. However, the foundation was - it began in the XI century new construction. In the XII century the building underwent a capital restructuring - from that time counted the history of today's church. West Portal was built in the years 1220-1230, the choir and the chapel of the Virgin Mary built in the XIV century, the transept and the other chapel - in the XVI. Around 1580 the centuries-old building reconstruction was completed. Stone statue at the gates, and the gates themselves had been restored in the XIX century.

That is why the Church is himself an impressive mix of styles: the base of the bell tower - Romanesque choir and the central Portal - the early, western portal and the central nave - Flamboyant Gothic style, the side portal - Renaissance. It is believed that this is one of the most beautiful buildings of Paris.

Inside you can see the pulpit and pews middle of XVII century, and the magnificent stained glass windows of the century XVI.

The church was the parish for the Valois dynasty in the days when the Louvre was still a royal palace. Assigned to it and a very unusual mission: here are buried most of the artists and sculptors, adorned at the time the Louvre.

In the history of the church there is a tragic date: August 24, 1572 is the bell tower of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois bells ringing signal was given to the extermination of the Huguenots, invited to the wedding of Henry of Navarre and Marguerite de Valois. Bells began to mark the beginning of the massacre of St. Bartholomew, during which killed up to 30 thousand people.

During the revolution the church ransacked the building was used as a food warehouse and police station. In 1802 the church was restored, but in 1831, during the riots, again desecrated. In 1837 the church was opened again, this time permanently.