73 Paris 12th arrondissement. Notre-Dame-de-la- Nativité de Bercy: the church with the cool thief

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This church is on the site of two previous churches. The second was burned down during the Paris commune: the only church in Paris that this happened to. It was rebuilt in an identical style a few years later. The architecture is based on basicilas (basilicae?) in Rome.

Inside there are a series of impressive paintings, including Thomas  Becket getting murdered. In front of the church you have a sculpture of Saint Peter with the most enormous key, and another of Saint Paul.


The Stations of the Cross are very original. And there is a fine statue of a Saint who doesn’t get portrayed very often. This is Saint Dismas. You remember that Jesus was crucified between two thieves, one meanie and one cool guy? Well this was the cool guy who said to Jesus “Yeah, you probs son of God, I dig that” and Jesus said “See you later in heaven, kiddo”. 


Information in English

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