Of all the things to see in Le Havre, this is probably the number one item. Le Havre is not a touristy city with a lot of monuments, but the Saint-Joseph church is special, very special.
The St. Joseph church is first of all the most noticeable landmark of the city, to be seen miles away. Like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the St. Joseph Church is the main visual landmark for Le Havre. In fact, its 107 meters height is used by sailors as a beacon to the city. This Roman Catholic church was built in 1951 to 1958 by the main architect of the reconstruction of Le Havre, Auguste Perret. Of all the parts of the reconstruction of the city for which Perret was responsible, the church was the only construction he looked after personally together with another architect Raymond Audigier.
Perret designed the church with several ideas in mind: light, open and strong enough to withstand some of the major storms the city can see. Perret was an atheist, while Audigier was a true believer. They settled on a design halfway between a monument for all those that had died in the 2nd World War, and a church dedicated to the religion.
The church itself is made out of precast concrete, like the rest of the reconstructed city. The concrete beams transverse the church, something that gives it a distinct visual image.
When visiting the church during the times that there is no mass, a soft music is played, giving the church a very serene feeling.
On the sides, like with most churches you can see the confession booths, discretely positioned in dark corners.
Alongside each side are stained glass, each with a special colour. Colour changes the higher it goes.
The outside of the church, particularly the tower, are illuminated, but each side has its own colour to make navigation on sea, but also in the city easier.
If you ever end up in Le Havre, I strongly recommend going inside this special church. Even if you are not a religious person, it is very spiritual.
Click here to go back to the Le Havre Introduction
Related Posts
- 10000
Le Havre is a city that has been rebuilt completely after WWII with a particular and special style. It's so unique that it was put on the United Nation UNESCO World Heritage sites. - 10000
The recently (in 1974) appointed cathedral of Le Havre, the "Cathedrale Notre-Dame du Havre", is nothing to write home about. Outside it is interesting, but inside it's pretty drab. Its only saving grace is that it has an incredibly beautiful and imposing organ. It is also the oldest structure in Le Havre… - 10000
If you're not that much into big museums but prefer to see old-fashion houses, the "Maison de l'Armateur" is a great visit (and it's also a museum). The house, built in 1790, was owned by a ship owner (although he did not commission the building of the house). After having… - 10000
Built: 1886Status: PrivateVisitable?: NoNotable: The castle is modelled on the Arco de Santa Maria castle in Spain, it survived WWII bombingsWeb: - Despite the heavy bombings during WWII, Le Havre still has one of its beautiful castles mostly intact; the Gadelles castle. The "Chateau des Gadelles" is also known as "Porte… - 10000
The modern art (take the word "modern" lightly) museum of Le Havre, the Andre Malraux museum also known as the MuMa, is France's 2nd largest museum of impressionist paintings. The museum was named after the former Minister of Culture, Andre Malraux, who opened the museum in 1961. This museum was…