Saint Joseph's Church

Auguste Perret died in 1954, three years before his masterpiece was completed. The church was finished by his workshop colleagues Georges Brochard and Raymond Audigier, who faithfully followed his vision. In an exceptional recognition of its architectural significance, the church was classified as a Monument Historique in 1965 - just 10 years after completion, when French law typically requires buildings to be at least 100 years old for such designation.

The church's design was actually based on an unrealized 1926 project Perret had created for the Basilique Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc in Paris. When the opportunity came to design a memorial church in Le Havre, Perret finally brought his three-decade-old vision to life, making Saint Joseph's the culmination of his life's work in reinforced concrete architecture.

The 107-meter tower was designed with multiple symbolic purposes: it serves as a memorial stele to the bombing victims, a spiritual lighthouse for the faithful, and a literal maritime landmark for ships approaching the port. Before World War II, transatlantic passengers traveling between Le Havre and New York would have seen the old city skyline - today, Saint Joseph's tower is the first monument visible to arriving ships, symbolizing the city's resurrection from destruction.