Montmartre
by Adarius Simpkins
Basic Information
Montmartre is a hill located in the French capital of Paris and it is approximately 130 meters high. The name "Montmartre" can be translated to mean "mountain of the martyr" because in 250 A.D. St. Denis ,who was the Bishop of Paris, was decapitated at the top of the now famous hill.
Basilica du Sacré-Coeur
This magnificent Catholic church was built on Montmartre beginning in the year 1875. Construction ended in 1914.
Montmartre
St. Denis
Many of the pictures that I have seen of St. Denis have his head missing. In the pictures, either he's holding it or an angel is...
More Information
The Arts
- Johan Jongkind
- Vincent van Gogh
- Henri Matisse
- Pierre Auguste-Renoir
- and even Pablo Picasso
Garçon à la Pipe
A 1905 painting by Pablo Picasso. Sold in 2004 for for $104,168,000.
Starry Night Over the Rhone
An 1888 painting by Vincent van Gogh. Currently housed in Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
The Swing (La Balançoire)
A 1876 painting by Pierre Auguste- Renoir. Also housed at Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
Random Information
- In spite of the huge church resting at the top of Montmartre, there are countless sex shops, peep shows and bars at the bottom of it. This part is called the Boulevard de Clichy.
- Montmartre serves as the setting for the movie La vie en rose, which chronicles the life of the late French singer Édith Piaf.
- In 1590, King Henry IV used Montmartre to place artillery during the French Wars of Religion.
- There is a small vineyard on the hill that produces about 500 liters of wine yearly.
- The 2001 Oscar nominated movie Moulin Rouge! was also set on Montmartre. The film stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor in the lead roles.
Personal Thoughts
Bibliography
"A Paris Guide: A Walk Through Montmartre." A Paris Guide: A Walk Through Montmartre. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://www.aparisguide.com/montmartre/index.html>.
"Montmartre." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Nov. 2012. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montmartre>.