The basilica owes its construction to three key figures: Bishop Charles-François Turinaz, Canon Henri Blaise, and architect Anthony Rougieux.

Turinaz wrote: "I entrust you with the great and difficult mission of founding the new parish, which I place under the blessings, the power, and the marvelous fertility of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

"[1] The building was designed and constructed by Anthony Rougieux (1854–1906), a well-trained architect in the eclectic style under Julien Guadet.

Elevated to the status of a minor basilica in September 1905 by Pope Pius X, it was consecrated by Bishop Turinaz and opened for worship on November 15, 1905.

However, the original cartoons by Janin were preserved, allowing for their reconstruction after the war, with minor modifications to eliminate anachronistic elements such as the Eiffel Tower and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre from the depiction of "Jesus Weeping Over Jerusalem.