A little bit shocking at that time: the construction of Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre
And also
The tops
Raised between 1894 and 1904 by Anatole de Baudot (Viollet-le-Duc's disciple), this church was made of "reinforced bricks".
This building work kicked up a fuss! Here's the history...
Abbot Sobaux, priest of the parish, wanted a bigger church. So he owned a land, hoping for an aid from the French Nation. But the Nation was already occupied to restore the church of St-Pierre, in Montmartre...
The abbot (a stubborn man!) really wanted to build his church (he finally get money thanks to a collection), so he decided to choose, with architects, an economical process: reinforced cement.
Reinforced cement? Yes, a revolutionary material which offended everyone, except architects of Paris city.
These one took our abbot to court, because he made "an offence to the law about the building permit"!
A commission of inquiry checked the solidity of the church... and after the trial, they wanted to demolish the building... in vain! Saint-Jean was dedicated on October 1904!