# Exterior view [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [SERVANDONI, Giovanni Niccolò]() - Date: 1701-1750 - Technique: Photo ## Commentary 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 <a href="\#" onClick="w=window.open \('/support/plans/s/servando/sulpice.html', 'newWin', 'scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=400,height=600'\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return false">Servandini's plan</a> of the west façade. Furthermore, view the <a href="\#" onClick="w=window.open \('/support/plans/s/servando/sulpice1.html', 'newWin', 'scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=400,height=600'\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return false">the partially executed design \(1751\)</a> 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. ## Related artworks - [Exterior view]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()