Église du Sacré-Cœur de Lille (Sacred Heart Church), Lille

The Church of the Sacred Heart, one of Lille's largest churches, measures 90 meters in length, and 24 meters in width, and rises to 22 meters at its highest point. It was built in response to a promise made by the Association of the Children of Mary of the Sacred Heart on October 7, 1870, to protect Lille from the Prussian invasion during wartime.

Constructed in the Neo-Gothic style by architect Jules Batigny, the church's construction occurred in two stages. The initial phase, from 1875 to 1878, was followed by a second, from 1895 to 1898. This later phase included the addition of the apsidal chapel, known as the Chapel of the Vow, positioned behind the choir and featuring eleven stained glass windows. This expansion was inspired by another pledge by local women to build a chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart, aimed at providing a dedicated space for reflection within the church.

The church was officially consecrated on June 20, 1902. At that time, its bell tower was still incomplete. It now contains a carillon, although the bells have not rung for several years. The tower, designed by architect Charles Sarazin and standing at 75 meters tall, was finished in 1928. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, which deteriorated due to weather conditions and required complete restoration from 2005 to 2008.

In April 2018, the church was temporarily closed for worship for six months by a city order due to dry rot. To date, only seven of its canopies have been restored, while the remaining five are still in disrepair and waiting to be fixed.

Since 1983, the building has been recognized as a National Historic Monument.