Notre Dame du Haut

About

After the original 4th century chapel that stood on this pilgrimage site was destroyed during World War II, the famed ‘white-box’ architect Le Corbusier was commissioned to design its replacement. A departure from the architect’s signature, sparse, modernist style, many consider the building the world’s first example of Post-Modern architecture, while others cite it as the first post-war Expressionist building - which is still inspiring architects today. The building’s monumental concrete roof is supported by hidden columns, allowing it to ‘float’ above the walls, leaving a space which illuminates the interior. On the back of the building, an overhang shelters an outdoor altar. The interior has a relatively simple floor plan, illuminated by the oddly-shaped stained-glass windows (and the space below the ceiling), with a poured concrete floor that follows natural slope of the site.