Something of a white elephant, the Madeleine has had a checkered career, narrowly avoiding being transformed into a railway station,a stock exchange, a bank, a theater, and yet another temple to the emperor Napoleon. Although building started n 1764, many ups and downs ensued before the Madeleine at last regained its original function in 1842 and was completed as a church. The unmistakable Greek temple form, supported by 52 Corinthian pillars, commands a spectacular perspective down the rue Royale toward the Concorde and beyond. A classic site for society weddings and funerals, the rose marble interior has seen the coffins of Chopin, Josephine Baher, and Marlene Dietrich.
The City of Paris acquired these gardens from a rich diamond merchant who had them landscaped according to his fancy. Of course, there was no traffic at the turn of the century. The area features a Japanese garden, a Vosge forest, a rock garden, a French-styled park, a small lake bordered with trees, and a beautiful English garden. The last weeks of spring are the best time for a visit.
