Saint Denis Cathedral, dedicated to the patron saint of Paris. Abbey of Saint-Denis (Abbaye de Saint-Denis) is one of the oldest abbeys in France. A feature of the lying statues were open eyes: the deceased were not in the world of death, but in anticipation of the Resurrection

The Basilica or Abbey of Saint-Denis (built in 625), located in Paris, is in no way inferior to the world-famous Notre-Dame de Paris. The Gothic cathedral of the abbey is dedicated to St. Dionysius, whose tomb, according to legend, is located just under its walls. Saint-Denis is called the tomb of French kings, since 35 royals are buried under its walls. During the reign of King Louis 9, 16 tombs of unprecedented luxury were built, they resemble Gothic cathedrals or sarcophagi with figures of shrines.

History of the Abbey
The place where the Basilica of Saint-Denis stands today has been considered holy since the 3rd century AD. According to legend, it was here that Saint Dionysius ended his days. He was beheaded at the top of Montmartre, but miraculously was able to walk another 6 kilometers north of the hill, carrying his head in his hands. Only in the small Roman settlement of Catulliak, located not far from the basilica, did he fall dead and was buried here. Later, this village began to be called Saint-Denis in honor of the patron saint of Paris, and in the 5th century, another patroness of the city - Saint Genevieve - blessed the construction of the first chapel over the tomb of Saint-Denis and other Christian martyrs. Subsequently, a large monastery grew up around the church - in 630 it was founded by King Dagobert I. By his order, the chapel was rebuilt into a spacious monastery church, in one of which Dagobert himself rested. It is known that not far from the monastery there was also the grave of one of the first French kings, Clovis, who ordered to be buried in the same place where the remains of St. Dionysius are located. Subsequently, other French monarchs were buried here, preferring Paris to all other French cities.

The monastery constantly grew and expanded. Over the centuries, it acquired greater spiritual and political significance, becoming a real center of culture and education. In the Abbey of Saint-Denis, rebuilt in the 8th century under Pepin the Short and Charlemagne, church schools and almshouses were opened, books began to be collected and chronicles were kept. Here, along with other students, the heirs to the French throne were trained. For example, it was in the Abbey of Saint-Denis in the 12th century that the friendship of the future king Louis VII and Abbot Suger began, which they maintained throughout their lives. This friendship became significant for the history of the monastery - Suger soon became the abbot of the Abbey of Saint-Denis. The monastery of Saint-Denis began to play a significant role in the life of France, performing many government functions. Suger even served as the king's regent for the duration of the Second Crusade, and easily coped with his new responsibilities, ruling the country from behind the walls of the monastery of St. Dionysius. It was decided to expand the abbey and erect new buildings on its territory. In the 30s of the 12th century, Suger began rebuilding the main monastery church. The work lasted about 20 years, and during this time the enterprising monk decided to revolutionize French culture by building a temple unlike any other. Instead of the massive walls of Romanesque churches, Suger decided to build a light frame structure, where there was room for wide window openings and high vaults. The church, according to his idea, was to be flooded with streams of light, refracted by the stained glass windows, to create a special atmosphere of spiritual unity of believers and the transition from material values ​​to spiritual ones. Thus, Abbot Suger became the founder of the Gothic style in architecture, and the Basilica of Saint-Denis itself became the first Gothic church in France and the whole world. It was here that the classic pointed arches, ribbed vaults, stained glass windows and a rose window on the western façade were first implemented. And although the Church of Saint-Denis still has Romanesque features, it is still a magnificent Gothic church.

The Basilica of Saint Denis was completely finished and consecrated in 1281. Moreover, during its construction, the remains of French kings were moved here, turning the church into a royal necropolis. This idea belongs to Louis IX, nicknamed the Saint. He not only brought the ashes of his predecessors and their families here, but also ordered a sculptural tombstone for each of them. Some of them have survived to this day, despite the difficult fate of the abbey. Neither the wealth nor the authority of the monastery saved it from wars and looting. During the Hundred Years' War, Joan of Arc was wounded nearby - this can be read on a memorial plaque on the wall of the basilica. During the religious wars of the 16th century, blood flowed right next to the walls of the church. However, the main damage to the monastery was caused by the Great French Revolution. All the valuables of the monastery were plundered, the monastery itself was closed, the tombstones of kings and queens were destroyed or taken to Paris, and a crowd of poor people dumped the royal remains into a deep hole, covered them with lime and burned them. And there were miracles here! It is said that when the revolutionaries opened the tomb of Henry IV, they discovered the incorrupt body of the monarch. Although this incident did not prevent the new authorities from clearing Saint-Denis of traces of royal power. Henry was given a new funeral and tried to forget about this incident. So France tried to start a new page in its history.

Fortunately, the Revolution spared the building of the basilica, although some insisted on demolishing it. Napoleon, who came to power, helped here. He reopened the church for parishioners and wanted to build his own tomb on the site of the royal necropolis, although he was never able to realize his plan. In 1816, after the Restoration of royal power, the surviving royal tombstones were returned to the basilica. What remained of the burned royal relics was collected and placed in the abbey's ossuary. A year later, by order of Louis XVIII, the bodies of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were reburied in the basilica, then they were joined by the monarch himself, as well as members of the royal family who died abroad. The last burial in the basilica occurred quite recently - in 2004. After examinations were carried out on the supposed remains of Louis XVII, who died in prison during the Revolution, the heart of the young king was also placed in the royal necropolis.

We owe the present appearance of the Basilica of Saint-Denis to the outstanding architect and art critic Eugene Viollet-le-Duc. Beginning in 1858, he spent 20 years restoring the building itself and the tombstones. Thanks to this, we can admire the magnificent western façade of the 12th century, a gallery of stained glass windows depicting scenes of the Crusades, the sculptural decoration of the church and the tombstones of many kings of France.

Architecture Features
Initially, Saint-Denis was supposed to become a fortress, but in the 8th century its walls could not withstand the onslaught of the troops of King Sigebert, so the church needed to be rebuilt and restored. The abbey received its modern appearance under Charlemagne, and the style in which Saint-Denis was built became an important part of all world architecture.

The cathedral was painted by the best European masters, here you can see grisaille stained glass windows, a magnificent mosaic floor, massive stone sculptures and much more. All stained glass windows are part of one whole, as the overall picture reflects the First Crusade and its milestones. You can also see on the beautiful glass the events associated with Charlemagne’s visit to the Holy Land.

What do you need to know before going to Saint Denis?

1. The cathedral is always open to everyone, except on days when wedding or funeral ceremonies are performed.
2. Starting from May 1, you can visit Saint-Denis at any time from 12:00 to 18:15, but from September 1 the schedule changes: the cathedral is open from 10:00 to 17:15.
3. To see the tomb of the monarchs, you need to purchase a ticket for 7.5 euros. Children under 18 years old do not need to buy an entrance ticket, students aged 18 to 25 must pay 4.5 euros. The rest of the abbey is open to the public for free.

Nearby there is a spacious park where you can relax after visiting the royal necropolis.

The main monastery of medieval France.

Story

In the 1st century, there was a Roman settlement on this site called Catulliacum. According to legend, the first bishop of Paris, Saint Dionysius of Paris (often identified with Dionysius the Areopagite), came here from Montmartre with his severed head in his hands.

Particularly noteworthy are the tombs of Louis son of Saint Louis, Louis XII and his wife Anne of Brittany, Henry II and his wife Catherine de' Medici (by Germain Pilon), Du Guesclin, Francis I and the mosaic tomb of Fredegund († 597). The royal standard, the oriflamme, was kept in Saint-Denis.

Saint-Denis was sacked and closed during the French Revolution, the remains of those buried were thrown into a ditch. In 1814, during the restoration, the bones of the kings and members of their family were collected in the abbey's ossuary. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, executed during the revolution, as well as princes and princesses who died in exile, were reburied in the crypt of the building. In 1820, the Duke of Berry, killed by Louvel, was buried here, and in 1824, Louis XVIII. With the July Revolution of 1830, burials in the abbey ceased; The granite slab prepared for himself by Charles X, who went into exile in 1830, remained unused.

In the building of the old abbey, the Institute for the daughters and sisters of the Knights of the Legion of Honor, founded in the city by Napoleon in Ecouen, is located. The abbey was restored by the famous architect Viollet-le-Duc. It is now a national monument.

On June 9, 2004, the heart of Louis XVII, a minor king of France, son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, recognized by the governments of many European states and the United States, but who did not actually ascend to the throne, was buried in the church. The previous funeral of the king of France in Saint-Denis took place in 1824 year, it was his uncle (and formal successor) Louis XVIII, to the accompaniment of a specially created “Requiem in memory of Louis XVI for male choir and wind instruments, on the death of Louis XVIII” by the composer Nicolas-Charles Box ( Requiem à la mémoire de Louis XVI pour chœur d’hommes et instruments à vent, dédié à Louis XVIII).

Tombs

Kings

Almost all the kings of France are buried in the basilica, as well as several other monarchs. The remains of kings who died before the abbey's erection were transferred from the ruined abbey of Saint-Geneviève. Some of them:

• Arnegunda (c.515-c.573)
• Fredegonda (wife of Chilperic I) (?-597)
• Pepin the Short (714-768) and his wife Bertrada of Laon (726-783)
• Carloman I king of the Franks (c.751-771)
• Charles II the Bald (823-877) (the tomb sculpture was melted down) and his wife, Irmentrude of Orleans (823-869)
• Robert II the Pious (972-1031) and his wife Constance of Arles (c. 986-1032)
• Henry I (1008-1060)
• Louis VI (1081-1137)
• Louis VII (1120-1180) and his wife Constance of Castile (1141-1160)
• Philip II Augustus (1180-1223)
• Charles I of Anjou (1226-1285), King of the Two Sicilies (1266-85) (heart buried)
• Philip III the Bold (1245-1285)
• Philip IV (1268-1315) and his mother Isabella of Aragon (1247-1271)
• Levon VI (1342-1393), last king of Cilician Armenia
• Louis XII (1462-1515)
• Francis I (1494-1547)
• Henry II (1519-1559) and his wife Catherine de Medici (1519-1589)
• Francis II (1544-1560)
• Charles IX (1550-1574) (no sculpture)
• Henry III (1551-1589), also King of Poland (1574) (heart buried)
• Henry IV (1553-1610)
• Louis XIII (1601-1643)
• Louis XIV (1638-1715)
• Louis XV (1710-1774)
• Louis XVI (1754-1793) and his wife Marie Antoinette (1755-1793)
• Louis XVII (1785-1795) (heart only: body buried in a common grave)
• Louis XVIII (1755-1824)

Other royals and nobles

• Nicolas Henri, Duke of Orléans (1607-1611), son of Henry IV
• Gaston d'Orléans (1608-1660), son of Henry IV
  • Marie de Bourbon, Duchess of Montpensier (1605-1627), his first wife
  • Margaret of Lorraine (1615-1672), Duchess of Orléans, his second wife
  • Anne de Montpensier (1627-1693), known as Grand Mademoiselle, his daughter from his first marriage
  • Margaret Louise of Orléans (1645-1721), Grand Duchess of Tuscany
  • Jean-Gaston d'Orléans (1650-1652), Duke of Valois
  • Marie-Anne d'Orléans (1652-1656), bore the title Mademoiselle de Chartres
• Henrietta Maria of France (1609-1669), queen consort of Charles I, King of Scotland and England
• Philippe I of Orléans (1640-1701), brother of Louis XIV
  • Henrietta Stuart (1644-1670), his first wife
  • Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate (1652-1722), his second wife
• Maria Theresa of Spain (1638-1683), queen consort, wife of Louis XIV, and their children:
  • Louis the Great Dauphin (1661-1711)
    • Maria Anna of Bavaria (1660-1690), Dauphine of France, his wife
  • Maria Anna (1664)
  • Maria Teresa (1667-1672)
  • Philip-Charles (1668-1671), Duke of Anjou
  • Louis-François (1672), Duke of Anjou
• Philip II of Orléans (1674-1723), regent of France
• Louis (Duke of Burgundy) (1682-1712), son of Louis the Great Dauphin
  • Marie Adelaide of Savoy (1685-1712), Duchess of Burgundy, his wife, and their children:
  • Louis I of France (1704-1705), Duke of Breton
  • Louis II of France (1707-1712), Duke of Breton
• Charles, Duke of Berry and Alençon (1686-1714), son of Louis the Great Dauphin
  • Marie Louise Elisabeth d'Orléans (1693-1714), Duchess of Berry, his wife, and their children who died in infancy:
  • daughter (not baptized) (1711), Duchess of Alençon
  • Charles (1713), Duke of Alençon
  • Marie Louise Elisabeth (1714), Duchess of Alençon
• Maria Leszczynska (1703-1768), queen consort, wife of Louis XV, and their children:
  • Marie Louise Elisabeth of France (1727-1759), Duchess of Parma
  • Henrietta of France (1727-1752), twin sister of her predecessor
  • Marie Louise (1728-1733)
  • Louis Ferdinand (Dauphin of France) (1729-1765)
    • Maria Teresa Rafaela of Spain (1726-1746), his first wife
    • Maria Josepha of Saxony (1731-1767), his second wife
  • Philip (1730-1733), Duke of Anjou
  • Maria Adelaide of France (1732-1800)
  • Victoria of France (1733-1799)
  • Sophia of France (1734-1782)
  • Marie Louise of France (1737-1787)
• Louis Joseph (Dauphine of France) (1781-1789), first son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
• Sophia Beatrice (1786-1787), second daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Sources

• Panofsky E.

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Excerpt characterizing the Abbey of Saint-Denis

The Karagins' house was the most pleasant and hospitable house in Moscow that winter. In addition to parties and dinners, every day a large company gathered at the Karagins, especially men, who dined at 12 o'clock in the morning and stayed until 3 o'clock. There was no ball, party, or theater that Julie missed. Her toilets were always the most fashionable. But, despite this, Julie seemed disappointed in everything, telling everyone that she did not believe in friendship, nor in love, nor in any joys of life, and expected peace only there. She adopted the tone of a girl who had suffered great disappointment, a girl as if she had lost a loved one or had been cruelly deceived by him. Although nothing of the sort happened to her, they looked at her as if she were one, and she herself even believed that she had suffered a lot in life. This melancholy, which did not prevent her from having fun, did not prevent the young people who visited her from having a pleasant time. Each guest, coming to them, paid his debt to the melancholy mood of the hostess and then engaged in small talk, dancing, mental games, and Burime tournaments, which were in fashion with the Karagins. Only some young people, including Boris, delved deeper into Julie’s melancholic mood, and with these young people she had longer and more private conversations about the vanity of everything worldly, and to them she opened her albums covered with sad images, sayings and poems.
Julie was especially kind to Boris: she regretted his early disappointment in life, offered him those consolations of friendship that she could offer, having suffered so much in life, and opened her album to him. Boris drew two trees in her album and wrote: Arbres rustiques, vos sombres rameaux secouent sur moi les tenebres et la melancolie. [Rural trees, your dark branches shake off darkness and melancholy on me.]
Elsewhere he drew a picture of a tomb and wrote:
"La mort est secourable et la mort est tranquille
“Ah! contre les douleurs il n"y a pas d"autre asile".
[Death is salutary and death is calm;
ABOUT! against suffering there is no other refuge.]
Julie said it was lovely.
“II y a quelque chose de si ravissant dans le sourire de la melancolie, [There is something infinitely charming in the smile of melancholy," she said to Boris word for word, copying this passage from the book.
– C"est un rayon de lumiere dans l"ombre, une nuance entre la douleur et le desespoir, qui montre la consolation possible. [This is a ray of light in the shadows, a shade between sadness and despair, which indicates the possibility of consolation.] - To this Boris wrote her poetry:
"Aliment de poison d"une ame trop sensible,
"Toi, sans qui le bonheur me serait impossible,
"Tendre melancolie, ah, viens me consoler,
“Viens calmer les tourments de ma sombre retraite
"Et mele une douceur secrete
"A ces pleurs, que je sens couler."
[Poisonous food for an overly sensitive soul,
You, without whom happiness would be impossible for me,
Tender melancholy, oh, come and comfort me,
Come, soothe the torment of my dark solitude
And add secret sweetness
To these tears that I feel flowing.]
Julie played Boris the saddest nocturnes on the harp. Boris read Poor Liza aloud to her and more than once interrupted his reading from the excitement that took his breath away. Meeting in a large society, Julie and Boris looked at each other as the only indifferent people in the world who understood each other.
Anna Mikhailovna, who often went to the Karagins, making up her mother’s party, meanwhile made correct inquiries about what was given for Julie (both Penza estates and Nizhny Novgorod forests were given). Anna Mikhailovna, with devotion to the will of Providence and tenderness, looked at the refined sadness that connected her son with the rich Julie.
“Toujours charmante et melancolique, cette chere Julieie,” she said to her daughter. - Boris says that he rests his soul in your house. “He has suffered so many disappointments and is so sensitive,” she told her mother.
“Oh, my friend, how attached I have become to Julie lately,” she said to her son, “I can’t describe to you!” And who can not love her? This is such an unearthly creature! Ah, Boris, Boris! “She fell silent for a minute. “And how I feel sorry for her maman,” she continued, “today she showed me reports and letters from Penza (they have a huge estate) and she is poor, all alone: ​​she is so deceived!
Boris smiled slightly as he listened to his mother. He meekly laughed at her simple-minded cunning, but listened and sometimes asked her carefully about the Penza and Nizhny Novgorod estates.
Julie had long been expecting a proposal from her melancholic admirer and was ready to accept it; but some secret feeling of disgust for her, for her passionate desire to get married, for her unnaturalness, and a feeling of horror at renouncing the possibility of true love still stopped Boris. His vacation was already over. He spent whole days and every single day with the Karagins, and every day, reasoning with himself, Boris told himself that he would propose tomorrow. But in the presence of Julie, looking at her red face and chin, almost always covered with powder, at her moist eyes and at the expression of her face, which always expressed a readiness to immediately move from melancholy to the unnatural delight of marital happiness, Boris could not utter a decisive word: despite the fact that for a long time in his imagination he considered himself the owner of Penza and Nizhny Novgorod estates and distributed the use of income from them. Julie saw Boris's indecisiveness and sometimes the thought occurred to her that she was disgusting to him; but immediately the woman’s self-delusion came to her as a consolation, and she told herself that he was shy only out of love. Her melancholy, however, began to turn into irritability, and not long before Boris left, she undertook a decisive plan. At the same time that Boris's vacation was ending, Anatol Kuragin appeared in Moscow and, of course, in the Karagins' living room, and Julie, unexpectedly leaving her melancholy, became very cheerful and attentive to Kuragin.
“Mon cher,” Anna Mikhailovna said to her son, “je sais de bonne source que le Prince Basile envoie son fils a Moscou pour lui faire epouser Julieie.” [My dear, I know from reliable sources that Prince Vasily sends his son to Moscow in order to marry him to Julie.] I love Julie so much that I would feel sorry for her. What do you think, my friend? - said Anna Mikhailovna.
The thought of being a fool and wasting this whole month of difficult melancholy service under Julie and seeing all the income from the Penza estates already allocated and properly used in his imagination in the hands of another - especially in the hands of the stupid Anatole, offended Boris. He went to the Karagins with the firm intention of proposing. Julie greeted him with a cheerful and carefree look, casually talked about how much fun she had at yesterday's ball, and asked when he was leaving. Despite the fact that Boris came with the intention of talking about his love and therefore intended to be gentle, he irritably began to talk about women's inconstancy: how women can easily move from sadness to joy and that their mood depends only on who looks after them. Julie was offended and said that it was true that a woman needs variety, that everyone will get tired of the same thing.
“For this, I would advise you...” Boris began, wanting to tell her a caustic word; but at that very moment the offensive thought came to him that he could leave Moscow without achieving his goal and losing his work for nothing (which had never happened to him). He stopped in the middle of his speech, lowered his eyes so as not to see her unpleasantly irritated and indecisive face and said: “I didn’t come here at all to quarrel with you.” On the contrary...” He glanced at her to make sure he could continue. All her irritation suddenly disappeared, and her restless, pleading eyes were fixed on him with greedy expectation. “I can always arrange it so that I rarely see her,” thought Boris. “And the work has begun and must be done!” He blushed, looked up at her and told her: “You know my feelings for you!” There was no need to say any more: Julie’s face shone with triumph and self-satisfaction; but she forced Boris to tell her everything that is said in such cases, to say that he loves her, and has never loved any woman more than her. She knew that she could demand this for the Penza estates and Nizhny Novgorod forests and she got what she demanded.
The bride and groom, no longer remembering the trees that showered them with darkness and melancholy, made plans for the future arrangement of a brilliant house in St. Petersburg, made visits and prepared everything for a brilliant wedding.

Count Ilya Andreich arrived in Moscow at the end of January with Natasha and Sonya. The Countess was still unwell and could not travel, but it was impossible to wait for her recovery: Prince Andrei was expected to go to Moscow every day; in addition, it was necessary to purchase a dowry, it was necessary to sell the property near Moscow, and it was necessary to take advantage of the presence of the old prince in Moscow to introduce him to his future daughter-in-law. The Rostov house in Moscow was not heated; in addition, they arrived for a short time, the countess was not with them, and therefore Ilya Andreich decided to stay in Moscow with Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova, who had long offered her hospitality to the count.
Late in the evening, four of the Rostovs' carts drove into Marya Dmitrievna's yard in the old Konyushennaya. Marya Dmitrievna lived alone. She has already married off her daughter. Her sons were all in the service.
She still held herself straight, she also spoke directly, loudly and decisively to everyone her opinion, and with her whole being she seemed to reproach other people for all sorts of weaknesses, passions and hobbies, which she did not recognize as possible. From early morning in the kutsaveyka, she did housework, then went: on holidays to mass and from mass to prisons and prisons, where she had business that she did not tell anyone about, and on weekdays, after getting dressed, she received petitioners of different classes at home who came to her every day, and then had lunch; There were always about three or four guests at the hearty and tasty dinner; after dinner I made a round of Boston; At night she forced herself to read newspapers and new books, and she knitted. She rarely made exceptions for trips, and if she did, she went only to the most important people in the city.
She had not yet gone to bed when the Rostovs arrived, and the door on the block in the hall squealed, letting in the Rostovs and their servants who were coming in from the cold. Marya Dmitrievna, with glasses down on her nose, throwing her head back, stood in the doorway of the hall and looked at those entering with a stern, angry look. One would have thought that she was embittered against the visitors and would now throw them out, if at this time she had not given careful orders to people on how to accommodate the guests and their things.

The name Saint-Denis is familiar to everyone who is interested in France, its history, culture and modern political situation. Many consider this place to be a Parisian suburb. And indeed it is. The city and the commune of the same name are located 9 km from the center of the state capital, on the right bank of the Seine, opposite a canal built in 1824 and named after a small settlement. Saint-Denis and Paris are connected by metro line 13. The territory belongs to the Ile-de-France region.

After France opened its borders to residents of its former colonies, this Parisian suburb turned into a city of emigrants. Currently, it is inhabited mainly by residents of the Arab states of North Africa and the Middle East.

It is not safe to walk around Saint Denis, especially in the evening. The settlement is considered the most disadvantaged in the country due to its high crime rate, although it was once a student quarter. Those who came to study in Paris usually lived in the suburbs, where rent was much cheaper than in the capital.

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However, despite the difficult situation with emigrants, a large number of tourists seek to get to this city because of the Abbey of Saint-Denis, which is the main religious building in France. This architectural historical monument is of great importance in the life of the state and is considered one of the symbols of the country.

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Historical reference

In the 2nd-3rd centuries, there was a settlement called Catcolluaq on the banks of the Seine. This name meant "a very dirty place." The area was indeed swampy and gloomy. But in 630, King Dagobert I of France founded the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Denis here.

The legend said that it was to this place that Bishop Dionysius came from Paris to die, holding his severed head in his hands. France considers him a heavenly patron. Therefore, the monastery of Saint-Denis received its name in his honor.

Expert opinion

Knyazeva Victoria

Guide to Paris and France

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The city was of great importance in the life of the state. For several centuries, French monarchs were buried on its territory. The Basilica of Saint Denis is still known throughout the world as the tomb of almost all the kings of the former empire.

During the Hundred Years' War, almost the entire population was destroyed, and the settlement itself was practically wiped off the face of the earth. However, the Abbey of Saint-Denis was preserved. In 1567, in the suburbs of Paris, a battle took place between supporters of the Catholic and Protestant branches of Christianity. This battle went down in history as one of the largest armed confrontations between the “papists” and the Huguenots. During the clashes, Anne-de-Montmorency, an influential political and military figure of the time, died.

During the French Revolution, the Abbey of Saint-Denis was again plundered. The royal tombs are plundered, and the remains of the monarchs are thrown into the city moat. During the reconstruction, the temples of the complex were restored, and the tomb was restored to its original appearance and meaning.

Val D'isere France

In the 20s of the XX century. The position of the city was determined by its proximity to the French capital. A large number of industrial enterprises were created in the vicinity of Paris. Saint-Denis became the residence of workers from factories and factories. Communist ideas very quickly took hold of the minds of the proletariat. They are still strong here. The French Communist Party still enjoys the support of the local population.

In 1998, a historic international sporting event took place in Saint-Denis. The FIFA World Cup matches were held at the 80,000-seat Stade de France stadium, built specifically for the important championship. In 2016, players from national teams that took part in the European Championship met on this site.

"Stade de France"

Main attraction

A small town on the outskirts of Paris would be an absolutely inconspicuous settlement if not for one detail. The Abbey of Saint-Denis has long been a symbol of France. Thousands of tourists coming to the capital of the state want to see the royal tomb with their own eyes. The remains of 25 monarchs, 10 queens and 84 princes and princesses are buried here. The ashes of Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette, beheaded by guillotine, also rest here.

Tombstone (Henry II and Catherine de Medici)

Saint Denis Cathedral was built on the site of an ancient Gallo-Roman cemetery. It is believed that the first bishop of France, Dionysius of Paris, was buried there, executed by the Romans in Montmartre.

It is known that the Basilica of Saint-Denis was first built over the tomb of the saint. This happened in 475. And already in 630 it became the main cathedral of the monastery, which arose in the suburbs of the French capital. In 754, Charlemagne was crowned here, and from the 13th century. began to bury all the kings and representatives of their families. The main standard of the state was kept in the monastery. Charitable schools and hospitals for ordinary people were opened here.

Louis XVII and Marie Antoinette

The abbey was plundered several times. During the French Revolution, many tombs were partially or completely destroyed, and the remains of monarchs were completely thrown into the ditch. But later they were again transferred to the Church of Saint-Denis and placed in a common ossuary.

Saint Tropez France

Since 1830, burials here have ceased. Since then, only in 2009, in the main temple of the former abbey, the heart of Louis XVII, the son of the last king of France and his wife Marie Antoinette, who was executed by revolutionaries, was solemnly interred. Today, the Cathedral of Saint-Denis remains the main necropolis of the state and a historical monument.

These tomb monuments began to be erected at the initiative of Saint Louis IX in 1267, and a total of 43 kings and 32 queens are now buried in the basilica, including Dagobert I, Hugh Capet, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

As the legend says, around the middle of the 3rd century. n. e. the first Parisian bishop, Saint Dionysius (in French, this name sounds like Denis), was executed in Montmartre. The executioner lowered the ax, but the headless body, instead of falling onto the scaffold, walked up to the head, took it in his hands and moved out of Paris along the northern road. After six kilometers it fell and did not rise again; it happened near a small village, which was later given the name Saint-Denis. There Denis was buried among the great martyrs executed for their faith in God.

Dionysius of Paris, Patron Saint of France
and first bishop of Paris

Death of Saint Dionysius of Paris.

The emergence of the basilica.

The history of the Basilica of Saint-Denis dates back to the end of the 3rd century: Dionysius of Paris suffered martyrdom around 280 and was buried on the site of the future abbey. He was a Christian missionary who took part in the evangelization of Paris.

Only in the 5th century did a tombstone appear at the burial site of Dionysius, and he himself became revered as a saint on the initiative of Saint Genevieve. At the same time, the first tomb of Saint-Denis was built.

Tympanum above the northern portal of the western facade.

Recent research has led to the discovery of the tomb of Queen Arnegund, wife of Clothar I. She was the first royal to be buried on the site of the present basilica. Dagobert I was the first king to be buried in the abbey in 639.

Throughout his life, he treated Saint Dionysius with special respect, whom he considered the patron saint of the monarchy. The Acts of King Dagobert tells that Dagobert found the relics of Saint Dionysius and his two companions, Prester Rusticus and Deacon Eleuther, whom he decided to bury in the basilica. Despite the growing attention to it, royalty was not buried in the Basilica of Saint-Denis until the 10th century.

royal necropolis and symbol of the monarchy

The basilica acquired fundamental importance for the French monarchy in July 754, when Pepin the Short was crowned and anointed king by Pope Stephen II. This was the first coronation to take place in Saint-Denis.

At the same time, the king promised to renovate the basilica, but work began only fifteen years later. Construction was completed in 775 and the basilica was consecrated that same year by Charlemagne.

It was 80 meters long and had three naves. According to a description from 799, the gate was made of ivory, gold and silver. The crypt with a circular corridor was modeled after the crypt of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, which allowed pilgrims to venerate the bodies of the holy martyrs by walking in a circle.

Facades of the Basilica of Saint Denis

Like many medieval churches, the Abbey of Saint-Denis was designed as a small fortress, in which the functions of a church were combined with a defensive castle. However, its imposing walls could not withstand the attack of the troops of King Sigebert, and in the 8th century the church was destroyed and then rebuilt in several stages. The modern appearance of the cathedral was created during the reign of Charlemagne, when in fact a new temple was built on ancient foundations. But, despite numerous reconstructions and additions, the altar of Saint-Denis has always been located on the site of the tomb of Saint Dionysius.

Saint Denis Cathedral has played a key role in the history of architecture. The new architectural style conquered first all of France and then Europe. This is largely the merit of Abbot Suger, who spent his entire life within the walls of Saint-Denis. It is he who is considered the inventor of the architectural style, which would later be called “architecture of light.”

At the beginning of the 12th century, the adviser to kings Louis VI and VII, a certain Suger, became the abbot of the monastery, under whom a very elegant sculptural facade was created and a crypt appeared. The temple vaults acquired some features of the Gothic style.

And after a stone spire was erected on top of the church, Louis IX transported the bodies of the deceased French monarchs here, each of whom was given his own tombstone. So, the basilica became the burial place of French princes and monarchs.

During the French Revolution, the Saint-Denis complex suffered enormous damage: priceless works of art were damaged. The unbridled crowd opened the tombs and destroyed the gravestones, and the royal remains were burned. The basilica building, like the Bastille, had to be destroyed. It was only by luck that this did not happen.

Large-scale renovation work was carried out here under Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. And the first believer came here after a long break in 1806. At the direction of King Louis XVIII, the tombstones were returned to the church.

Suger, who was elected head of the Abbey of Saint-Denis in 1122, made this basilica a symbol of the monarchy: he was a close advisor to Louis VI and later Louis VII. He convinced the kings to make the basilica a royal necropolis and a repository for royal relics. After many trips to Italy, Suger decided to change the architecture of the basilica: inspired by the Gothic style, it is still distinguished by its originality (for example, the absence of walls between the aisles, the use of monolithic columns). The temple was enlarged, and radiating chapels were added to the choir.

But historical justice triumphed: in 1869, through the efforts of the architect Violet-le-Duc, the basilica was restored. This truly great man devoted his life to restoring the most remarkable monuments of French architecture that were in terrible condition. Thanks to him, we can now enjoy the beauty and grandeur of Mont Saint-Michel, Notre Dame and many other beautiful buildings that could have sunk into oblivion, as happened with the Bastille.

Inside the basilica

The abundance of sculptures, stone carvings, magnificent stained glass windows, shining gold altars - all this makes an incredible impression.

The relics of Saint Dionysius were placed in the center of the choir, on the elevation of the altar.

Stained glass

The abbey's stained glass windows are combined into cycles with a common theme. One of them tells about the events of the First Crusade, the other is based on a literary work describing the visit of Charlemagne to the Holy Land.

“Architecture of light,” as the abbot called the style he invented, elevates a person above everyday problems, symbolizes the transition from material values ​​to spiritual ones. Suger came up with stained glass windows that depict historical and biblical scenes, as well as a stained glass rose (a round window above the main entrance of the temple).

The mosaic floor made by Italian masters evokes admiration.

Passage to the altar, on the floor of which the signs of the zodiac are laid out in a mosaic.

Tombstones and burial vaults

Executed king and queen

Statue of King Louis XVI

Statue of Queen Marie Antoinette.

By the will of King Louis XVIII, the chapel was built in 1826: it was surrounded by a low, gloomy arcade approximately covering the place where the corpses of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette could have been buried. First, the king and queen executed during the revolution were buried in the cemetery of St. Magdalene, throwing the corpses into a common grave and covering them with unburnt lime.

The executed Queen Marie Antoinette, ascending the scaffold, said that her ten-year-old son was declared heir to the throne. However, the boy was not destined to ascend the throne. Tortured in the casemates of the capital's Temple prison, he soon died.

The child's body was preserved through the efforts of the prison doctor. In the early 2000s, an examination was carried out on the remains, the results of which indicated that the queen and the boy were close relatives. In 2004, the heart of a child, the unrecognized King Louis XVII, was placed in a necropolis near his parents.

Tomb of Louis XI and his wife. The royal couple on this monument is in two forms: first in a supine position on the sarcophagus, then above it - on their knees.

Diana French

Louis X!!!

The tombstone of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany (XVI century) is a masterpiece of the basilica

Louis XII and Anne of Brittany are depicted dead inside the tomb, as well as alive and praying in the upper part.

All the kings of France from Clovis the First (465-511) to Louis the 18th (1755 - 1824) are buried in the basilica, as well as several other kings, for example Levon the 5th, king of Cilician Armenia (1342-1393).

Tomb of the Armenian king Levon V (1310-1342) in the Abbey of Saint-Denis, Paris.

Tombstone of Francis I, his wife Claude of France and their children.

Tombstone of Henry II and Catherine de' Medici,

Sculptor Pilon

The tombstone of Henry II and Catherine de' Medici was commissioned by Catherine herself. The Queen decided to make the chapel a family tomb and for this she invited the Italian artist Primaticcio. After his death in 1570, construction was continued by Batista Andrua di Cerso. For ten years the main sculptural work was carried out by Pilon. The Rotunda took a long time to build, but remained unfinished.


On the tomb are the kneeling figures of the king and queen praying; Inside the chapel, the royal couple are depicted in the form of marble gisanti.

The architectural frame of the monument - an oblong, free-standing chapel on a raised platform decorated with bronze and marble reliefs - belongs to Primaticcio. On the corners near the monument there are four large bronze statues of the Virtues, made in the Fontainebleau style.;

Recalling the distinction we made above between the classical and medieval attitudes towards death, we can express this feeling as follows. The Gothic gisanti, an image that emphasizes the physical decay of the flesh, represents the future state of the body in accordance with the whole “prospective” character of the medieval tomb. Pilon's Gisanti are “retrospective,” although they do not deny the reality of death. It is in this unity of opposites (which was never possible to repeat, even by Pilon himself) that lies the reason for the greatness of these figures

Whose tombs are these in the previous photo?

Louis XIV the Great

Sun King

Louis the Sixth, who later turned out to be one of the characters in the film "Aliens"

It was during the reign of Louis VI that a tradition arose, following which French kings went to the abbey to raise the banner of Saint-Denis before going to war or on a crusade.

Interesting Facts.

Touching beloved dogs and martens, which the queens once carried in their arms for a completely pragmatic purpose, since the temperature of the animal was higher, the fleas moved from the tall ladies to the animal.

Stained glass windows date back to 1140-1144, surviving only in fragments.

In 1837, lightning struck the spire of the northern tower; it could not be restored, so the basilica, unfortunately, has only one tower.

In the 13th century, extensive work was carried out to reconstruct the nave. The two towers of the facade were built at the same time: the northern tower rose more than 86 meters, but was then destroyed. Tombstones in the form of lying bodies of the deceased began to be installed in the basilica under the leadership of King Louis IX in 1267.

A feature of the lying statues was their open eyes: the deceased were not in the world of death, but in anticipation of the Resurrection. Symbolically, all the figures were located towards the east, from where Christ should come to earth at the end of time.

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Built during the Middle Ages, the Basilica of Saint Denis in Paris resembled a fortification more than a temple. A drawbridge was thrown across a deep ditch with water, leading to a gate protected by two towers. The walls had loopholes and battlements.

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The Basilica of Saint Denis was also the site of the coronation of queens of France. Unlike kings, the coronation of queens was not systematic. Catherine de' Medici and Marie de' Medici were both anointed kings at Saint-Denis.

Pierre Henri Revual "King Philip Augustus receives the oriflamme in Saint-Denis" 1841,

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Important royal relics were kept in Saint Denis - the oriflamme (royal standard), the sword of Charlemagne and other royal regalia. Until the 15th century, every military campaign began with a solemn service in the abbey, during which the oriflamme was ceremonially presented to the monarch. The Great Chronicle, the main historical document of France, telling about the main events in the history of the country, was also kept in Saint-Denis.

Rubens Coronation of Marie de Medici"

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After the French Revolution, many of the bodies of its victims were buried in mass graves, and unique funerary statues were moved from their original places. Although some of these monuments were destroyed, most were preserved and were exhibited in the Museum of French Monuments.

François Pascal Simon Gerard Coronation of Charles

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In 1846, the famous architect and restorer Jacques Viollet-le-Duc demanded the dismantling of the north tower, whose structure was badly damaged by lightning and a tornado that passed through the region. In addition, he came up with the idea of ​​​​reorganizing all the royal tombs in the form that we know today.

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In the cathedral itself there is an exhibition in which you can see royal robes, crowns and other accessories.

Robe of Louis 18

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After the creative restructuring initiated by Suger, the temple acquired more majestic and airy outlines. The result was so stunning that the bishop consecrating it ordered the construction of cathedrals in the image of the Basilica of Saint-Denis.

In front of the entrance to the basilica there is a memorial plaque stating that on September 13, 1429, in these places, in the battle for Paris, Joan of Arc was wounded

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The basilica was elevated to cathedral status in 1966 and was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1980.

Basilica of Saint Denis today.

The western façade of the building, dating from the 12th century, has survived to this day, with a gallery decorated with stained glass windows depicting scenes telling about the Crusades and the lives of saints. The sculptural decorations of the interior decoration and tombstones of French kings have survived. Some of them are made with such detail that you can discern the pattern on the fabric. The mosaic floor made by Italian masters evokes admiration. Thanks to the windows of the upper tier and the huge stained glass windows of the lower one, the Saint-Denis temple is brightly lit.

- certainly one of the main cathedrals in France, but there is also an ancient church in the suburbs of Paris at the Abbey of Saint-Denis.

Tomb of the Kings

The abbey was founded in 625 and its cathedral is considered to be the very first cathedral built in the Gothic style. The main cathedral of medieval France is dedicated to Saint Dionysius, whose tomb, according to legend, is hidden under the cathedral. Over the centuries of its existence, Saint-Denis became the tomb for 25 kings and 10 queens of France. In the necropolis, by order of King Louis IX, 16 luxurious tombs were installed, each of which is a complex structure in the form of independent Gothic cathedrals or richly decorated sarcophagi with figures of saints along the perimeter.

Architecture of Saint Denis Cathedral

Like many medieval churches, the Abbey of Saint-Denis was designed as a small fortress, in which the functions of a church were combined with a defensive castle. However, its imposing walls could not withstand the attack of the troops of King Sigebert, and in the 8th century the church was destroyed and then rebuilt in several stages. The modern appearance of the cathedral was created during the reign of Charlemagne, when in fact a new temple was built on ancient foundations. But, despite numerous reconstructions and additions, the altar of Saint-Denis has always been located on the site of the tomb of Saint Dionysius.

Saint Denis Cathedral has played a key role in the history of architecture. The new architectural style conquered first all of France and then Europe. This is largely the merit of Abbot Suger, who spent his entire life within the walls of Saint-Denis. It is he who is considered the inventor of the architectural style, which would later be called “architecture of light.” The best European craftsmen were invited to decorate the interior of the cathedral. The mosaic floor was ordered from Italy, the elegant gold utensils were made by master jewelers from the banks of the Rhine and England, and the stone sculptures were made by carvers from Burgundy. The construction of the abbey introduced the fashion for stained glass using the grisaille technique, when painting was done with black paint on colorless smoky glass, and for subject paintings on type-set colored glass. The best craftsmen from Picardy were invited to work on glass in the cathedral itself, who made for it huge glass canvases mainly in deep blue tones. All of them are combined into a single plot, telling about the events of the First Crusade and Charlemagne's visit to the Holy Land.

Useful information for visiting Saint Denis

The Cathedral of Saint-Denis is open to the public all year round, except when the cathedral is closed for weddings or funerals. From May to September it is open on Sundays from 12 to 18:15, on other days from 10:00 to 18:15. During winter, the Basilica of Saint Denis is open until 17:15. You can get to the cathedral from the center of Paris by taking line 13 to Basilique St Denis station. From some metro stations, take the commuter train line D to the Saint Denis stop. You can explore the cathedral up to the altar area for free. To view the tombs of the kings and the entire necropolis, you need to buy a ticket. The cost of an adult ticket is 7.50 euros, for students 18-25 years old - 4.50 euros, for everyone under 18 - admission is free. At the ticket office on the right side of the cathedral you can find booklets in Russian.