The Scots Kirk

Paris - La Belle Époque

The congregation of the Scots Kirk Paris was founded in 1858. The origins of the congregation lie in the arrival of the Scottish theologian John Tulloch who was appointed by the Church of Scotland to establish a Scottish presbyterian church in Paris.

In its first years of existence, the congregation was welcomed within l'Oratoire du Louvre where among other recently established English-speaking protestant churches the upper room was lent to them for worship.

During the Exposition Universelle of 1867, the whole church of the Oratoire du Louvre was given to the congregation to lead a service on Sundays afternoon, due to the numerous Presbyterians visiting the city of Paris on that occasion. Collections to acquire an own building for the congregation took place during those services.

In 1880, the old church Rue Bayard owned by the American Episcopalian parish of the Holy Trinity was put on the market for sale. In 1881 the Scots Kirk Paris congregation made a first contact with them regarding the acquisition of the building. However it was two years later, in 1883, that the church was officially bought. The congregation got the possession of the building granted in 1885 and have worshiped on that site since then.

Three church buildings on the same site

The first church building had been erected by the American Episcopalian parish of the Holy Trinity between 1863 and 1864, who then moved to their new church in 1885. It was because of this move to a newly built church that they decided to put on sale their old church Rue Bayard. This church was designed in a neo-Gothic style and could host about 400 persons. The recently purchased church then attracted high attendance to the services held during the Exposition Universelle of 1889.