The Basilique Sainte-Thérèse sits on the hill above Lisieux and dominates the town from every direction. Built in a Romanesque-Byzantine style with a large dome, it was designed by Louis-Marie Cordonnier and completed in 1954. The scale is extraordinary — over 90 metres long with a dome reaching 93 metres — and the interior is covered with mosaics depicting scenes from the life of Thérèse and the history of the Catholic faith.
The basilica draws around two million pilgrims a year, making it one of the most visited religious sites in France after Mont Saint-Michel and Lourdes. Thérèse's relics are housed here. The crypt beneath the main church is the original chapel that was completed first; it has a quieter, more intimate atmosphere. The terrace outside offers a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.