Exterior view

The parish church of Saint-Sulpice was a basilica in the medieval tradition with side aisles, transept and ambulatory, housed in a classical structure. It was built by Daniel Gittard (1625-1686) from plans by Charles Gamard from 1646 on. Gittard completed the sanctuary, ambulatory, apsidal chapels, transept, and north portal (1670-78), after which construction was halted for lack of funds.

The west façade was constructed in the eighteenth century after a competition held in 1732. The design was inspired by the entrance elevation of Christopher Wren's Saint Paul's Cathedral in London.

View Servandini's plan of the west façade.

Furthermore, view the the partially executed design (1751) by Servandoni for the principal (west) façade of Saint-Sulpice, with a balustrade replacing the pediment. (The towers were erected later under the supervision of Oudot de Maclaurin.)

The engravings are from Jacques-François Blondel, Architecture françoise (1752).

The photo shows the west façade of the church.