How many stories could the Sente de Saint-Denis tell if streets could talk? This is a road like no other. It is intimately linked to the history of French royalty.
Let us embark on a journey through time right here on the Sente de Saint-Denis. The Basilique Cathédrale Saint-Denis is the resting place of French kings. The Basilica houses over 70 recumbent statues and funerary monuments. Stained glass from the XIIth and XIXth centuries adorns the basilica.
The story of the Sente de Saint-Denis begins with Saint Denis himself. He was a bishop sent to evangelize Gaul. Saint Denis was martyred and beheaded by the Romans in Lutetia. Some say this happened in the first century. However some say the third century is more likely. Legend says Saint Denis picked up his head at Montmartre. Then he walked north while reciting prayers. Finally he collapsed in Catulliacus. This is the current city of Saint-Denis. The basilica was built here.
From the death of King Dagobert in 639 until the 19th century, Saint-Denis Abbey became the burial site for French royalty. 43 kings, 32 queens, and a dozen servants of the monarchy were buried here. The abbey evolved into Europe’s most important collection of funerary sculptures. These sculptures were made from the 12th to the 16th century. A 13th-century chronicler called it the cemetery of kings. Today the Basilica houses 70 recumbent statues and tombs.
The Basilique Cathédrale Saint-Denis is not just a royal necropolis. It is also one of the birthplaces of Gothic art. In the 12th century, Abbot Suger transformed the Saint-Denis Basilica. He was an advisor to Louis VI and Louis VII. He rebuilt it in a new style. The ribbed vaults were an innovative principle.
The church was filled with light. It is a symbol of the divine. This was achieved with exceptional stained glass. This building became a major construction of Gothic art. It inspired new buildings all over Europe.
The Basilica we see today dates to the 12th and 13th centuries. It is 108 meters long. Its vaults reach 29 meters. Two stunning rose windows illuminate the immense transept. They are over 12 meters in diameter. These served as models for Notre-Dame de Paris.
The site suffered looting during the Hundred Years’ War. The Wars of Religion also caused damage. The tomb of Saint Louis disappeared in the 15th century.
During the Revolution in 1792, monks had to leave. In October 1793, royal bodies were exhumed. France needed metal for bullets. In 1794, the roof’s lead sheets were removed.
The ruined building became a theater. It even served as a warehouse for flour and wheat.
Napoleon I decided to restore the monument. He wanted to dedicate it to emperors and to remember the former kings.
Bodies of kings buried before the Revolution were moved. The Revolutionaries piled them in two common graves. In 1817, King Louis XVIII searched for the remains. He reburied them in an ossuary in the crypt.
Many transformations occurred in the 19th century. Napoleon installed the Legion of Honor’s educational center in 1809.
In 1813, architect François Debret began restoring the building. This colossal project included stained glass, facades, floors, vaults, and sculptures. However, his work was questioned. Eugène Viollet-le-Duc replaced him.
Viollet-le-Duc removed Debret’s work. He replaced the royal tombs. In 1847, he began dismantling the north tower.
The north spire will be reassembled identically by 2024. The association Suivez la Flèche leads this project.
The basilica became a cathedral in 1966. Today the Centre des monuments nationaux manages the Basilique Cathédrale Saint-Denis. It stands as a symbol of French history.
As we stand on the Sente de Saint-Denis, remember the basilica’s long history. Think of Saint Denis. Think of kings and queens. Think of Gothic art. Think of revolution and restoration. The Sente de Saint-Denis is a gateway to French history. It connects us to centuries of stories.