Église Saint-Christophe

Église Saint-Christophe stands out among French churches: you find no bell tower and no spire. Ferdinand Klee designed the church, and construction ran from 1964 to 1968. Its trapezoidal plan and clean lines signal a modern approach to church design.

The walls carry a pattern of diamond-shaped openings instead of ornament. Eleven metres above street level, the nave holds four hundred and fifty people. No pillar blocks your view of the altar. An intermediate level adds a chapel and rooms for gatherings, theatre and youth groups. Such rooms make the church a community centre as well as a place of worship.

Saint Christopher, patron of travellers and motorists, even shaped the ground outside. A large car park hosts the annual blessing of vehicles in his honour. The Armenian Apostolic community, too, has found a home here. From a distance the building looks plain, but inside, daylight pours through the diamond openings and spills across every seat.