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Origin and history

The church of Sainte-Anne de la Butte-aux-Cailles, originally called Sainte-Anne de la Maison-Blanche, is a Catholic building built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, in the context of the extension of Paris and the separation of the Church and the State. It replaces a chapel in the neighborhood, Saint-Marcel de la Maison-Blanche, which became too small for a growing population after 1840. This chapel, renamed Chapel Bréa in 1848 in tribute to General Jean Baptiste Fidèle Bréa, who died in June 1848, was destroyed in 1897 after the beginning of the work of the new church.

The building of the church began in 1894 on a land offered by the councillor of Paris Jules Nolleval and his wife. The work, slowed down by financial difficulties, nevertheless allowed partial consecration in 1896. The final façade, financed by the Lombart family (owners of Lombart chocolates), was erected from 1898 onwards, giving the building its nickname "chocolate facade". The two towers, named Jules and Honorine in honour of donors, were completed in 1900 for the Universal Exhibition, rising to 55 meters high.

When the churches and the state were separated in 1905, the church became the property of the City of Paris when it was not yet fully completed. The work continued until his final consecration on 24 October 1912 by Léon Adolphe Amette. In 1938, the building was embellished by colourful stained stained windows and mosaics made by Mauméjean workshops, adding a remarkable artistic dimension. The church, built on stilts (71 piles anchored between 16 and 22 meters deep), was listed as historical monuments in June 2018.

In the Romanesque-Byzantine style, St Anne's Church is the work of architect Prosper Bobin. It houses a rostrum organ and is distinguished by its stained glass with geometrical or historical motifs, as well as its decorated mosaics. Accessible via Tolbiac and Place d'Italie metro stations (lines 5, 6, and 7), it remains a symbol of the Butte-aux-Cailles district, marked by its industrial and social history.

The building, located at 186 rue de Tolbiac, is now owned by the municipality of Paris. Its designation as a historic monument in 2018 recognizes its heritage value, combining local history, distinctive architecture and artistic heritage.

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