▁ 1 6 2 9 , ▁it ▁became ▁the ▁parish ▁church ▁and ▁there after ▁under w ent ▁further ▁work . ▁The ▁first ▁stone ▁of ▁the ▁church ▁of ▁Saint - R och ▁was ▁laid ▁by ▁Louis ▁XIV ▁in ▁ 1 6 5 3 , ▁accompanied ▁by ▁his ▁mother ▁Anne ▁of ▁Austria . ▁ ▁Origin ally ▁designed ▁by ▁Jacques ▁Lem er cier , ▁the ▁building ' s ▁construction ▁was ▁halt ed ▁in ▁ 1 6 6 0 ▁and ▁was ▁res umed ▁in ▁ 1 7 0 1 ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁architect ▁Jacques ▁Hard ou in - M ans art , ▁brother ▁of ▁the ▁better - known ▁Jules ▁Hard ou in - M ans art . ▁ ▁Work ▁was ▁finally ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 4 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Revolution , ▁the ▁church ▁of ▁Saint - R och ▁was ▁often ▁at ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁events ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁scene ▁of ▁many ▁shoot ings ▁which ▁have ▁left ▁their ▁mark ▁on ▁the ▁fa ç ade . ▁ 1 3 ▁V end ém ia ire ▁was ▁one ▁such ▁occasion , ▁this ▁was ▁p iv otal ▁in ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁Napoleon . ▁It ▁was ▁not ▁only ▁the ▁outside ▁of ▁the ▁church ▁that ▁was ▁dam aged . ▁During ▁the ▁Revolution ▁it ▁was ▁r ans ack ed , ▁and ▁many ▁works ▁of ▁art ▁were ▁st olen ▁or ▁destroyed . ▁ ▁Notable ▁people ▁The ▁church ▁contains ▁the ▁mem orial s ▁of ▁Den is ▁D ider ot , ▁the ▁Com te ▁de ▁Gr asse , ▁Baron ▁d