The basilica stands on the site of a Gallo-Roman cemetery with the tomb of St Denis, Paris France, thought to have been the first Bishop of Paris, who was martyred c 250 AD. This place of pilgrimage was built in the 5C. Dagobert was a benefactor to it the 7C, and Pepin the Short was crowned king here in 754. It became one of the most powerful Benedictine abbeys in the Middle Ages. Most of the kings and queens of France were buried here from the 6C onwards. The abbey church of St. Denis therefore played a complex and important role for the French monarchy. The Cathedral of Saint Denis is the birthplace of Gothic architecture. In 1122 Louis VI made this the official burial place for French monarchs, at the request of Abbe Suger. St Louis reserved it for monarchs alone, a rule which was broken several times, and had the remains of his predecessors, transferred to tombs in the crossing of the transept. Suger decided to improve St Denis and rebuilt the basilica. ~The western façade was dedicated in 1140and the chevet in 1144, but the building remained incomplete after the abbe’s death in 1151. Suger’s church represents a landmark to the development of Gothic architecture. Intersecting ribs were used here on a large scale for the first time. In this way, the architect could do without walls between the pillars Vaulting could be extended throughout the ambulatories and the radiating chapels and huge windows could be incorporated in the chevet. This is how ~Suger realized his concept – for him light had a thoroughly metaphysical significance. Another innovative feathure is the rose window on the west façade.

1. First created 14 May 2011. Version 2.0 25 Jun 2015. Jerry Tse. London.
Basilica of St Denis
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The First Gothic ChurchThe First Gothic Church

2. Styles&years

3. Wall The weight of the roof on a Romanesque church is supported by massive walls.
They are solid with small openings for windows. This gives the building a feel
of solidity and the interior is very dark. Photos of the Pisa Duomo and the
Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Gothic vs Romanesque
Romanesque

4. Wall In contrast, the massive walls are with windows, in Gothic. The weight of the
roof is supported by massive pillars instead. The side view of St Denis Basilica.
Gothic

5. Flying
buttress
The thin walls in Gothic architecture are reinforced by buttresses on the
sides and flying buttresses on top for the upper walls. St Denis Basilica.
Gothic

6. Arches
Romanesque style started to appear around 9C (some put it as early as 6C).
It is characterised by semi-circular arches. The above photo shows the
interior of Duomo in Pisa, with its semi-circular arches.
Romanesque

7. Arches
In contrast the Gothic style is dominated by
pointed arches.
The photo shows the interior of the Basilica of
St Denis at the choir. Also note that a great
deal of the walls are replaced by windows
with light flooding into the interior.
Gothic is architecture style that emphasizes
the vertical, instead of solidity .
Gothic

8. Ceiling Left – The coffered ceiling of the Duomo, Pisa. Right – The vaulted ceiling of the St Denis
Basilica. The vaulted ceiling of St Denis is similar to some of its Romanesque
predecessors. A Gothic vault is constructed using pointed ribs (arches). Likewise a
Romanesque vault has semi-circular ribs.
GothicRomanesque

9. Flamboyant
Vault
Left – Ceiling of Winchester Cathedral. Right – Bath Abbey.
Both of these ceilings date back to early 16C. As the Gothic style developed
the vaulted ceiling became increasing elaborate. This is particularly true in
England. This is described as flamboyant style.
Gothic ceiling

10. Soaring Spire Soaring Spire became fashionable as Gothic style developed. On the left is St Denis Basilica. On
the right is the Chartres Cathedral, which is a good example of this for early Gothic churches.

11. The Basilica
Cathedral of
Saint Denis
The birth place of Gothic,
Saint Denis, Paris, France
In the 12C, Sugar, Abbot of St Denis
began using new building techniques
and created a new architectural style,
known as Gothic, which became the
main European architectural styles for
several centuries. It is rarely possible
to trace the origin of an architectural
style back to a single building, as in
the case of St Denis Basilica.
The Basilica

12. Façade The western façade retained some Romanesque features, particularly the portals.

13. Façade

14. Façade

15. Façade

16. Façade Entrance
The main door is a faithful reproduction of
the original bronze door, showing the
Passion and the Resurrection. The second
medallion of the right panel shows Sugar
at Christ’s feet. St Denis Basilica.
Medallion on the door showing
Jesus being sentenced.

17. Façade A row of four figures of kings and queens on the western façade. St Denis Basilica.

18. The interior of the church flooded with lights near the transept. St Denis Basilica.Interior

19. The ceiling looks like suspended in air, with light coming in from all sides.
Interior

20. Windows
As more of the supporting walls were replaced by windows, the interior of the Gothic
church is filled with light. Note the row of windows on the lower wall.

21. The Ambulatory. St Denis Basilica.
Interior

22. The interior of the filled with coloured light. St Denis Basilica.
Interior

23. Carvings in the choir.
Interior

24. Windows An external view of a window with flying buttresses on the right of the photo. St Denis Basilica.

25. Stained glass
Windows
Coloured stained glass windows are commonly used in Gothic churches. They fill the interior
not only with lights but coloured lights. Stained glass windows of St. Denis Basilica.

26. The stained glass windows at the apse. St Denis Basilica.
Stained glass
Windows

27. The stained glass windows.
St Denis Basilica.
Stained glass
Windows

28. This is known as ‘The Rod of Jesse’ shows Christ’s family tree (1140- 1144).
Stained glass
Windows

29. A small and simple rose window above the main entrance on the western façade.Rose window

30. Rose windows Rose window at the transept, using mainly violet colour. St Denis Basilica.
Stained glass
Windows

31. Rose windows Rose window at the transept, using mainly violet colour. St Denis Basilica.
Stained glass Windows

32. The Royal
necropolis
The basilica is used as a royal necropolis since the 12C. Some early monarchs including Clovis I
(481-511) were buried there. Some 42 kings, 32 queens, 63 princes and princesses were here.
Royal tombs

33. Medieval tombs
Some of the older royal tombs were moved into the church from the nearby cemetery,
including Clovis I (511), who was the first King of the Franks to rule over France. On the
top left are the effigies of Clovis II (635-57) and Charles Martel (685-741). The nearest is
the effigies of Isalelle d’Aragon with Philippe II le Hard (1245-85) and Philippe IV le Bel
(1268-1314) on the right. St Denis Basilica.

34. 13C tombs
The unusual tombs of Blanche
(1243) and Jean (1243), prince and
princess of Philippe Dagobert
(1235). The coffins are wooden
and covered with enamelled
copper leaf. St. Denis Basilica.

35. Because of the number royal
burials here and the time span it
covers, the basilica is also acts as
a sculpture museum.
This is the Monument of Francois I
and Claude de France and three of
their children.
Francois I reigned from 1515 to
1547. During his reign France
witnessed immense cultural
changes and he is considered
France’s first renaissance king.
16C tomb

36. 16C tomb Francois I reigned from 1515 to 1547. St Denis Basilica.

37. The effigy of Claude de France, wife of Francois I. St Denis Basilica.16C tomb

38. This is the tomb of Louis XII (1515)
and Anne de Bretagne (1514). It
was designed to be unprecedented
grandeur. On the base the tomb
are surrounded by allegorical
figures of virtues.
16C tomb

39. This is the tomb of Louis XII (1515) and Anne de Bretagne (1514).16C tomb

40. This is the tomb of Louis XII (1515) and Anne de Bretagne (1514).16C tomb

41. This is one of the finest sculpture of
the royal tombs. The bronze
allegorical figure of Temperance
was by Germain Pilon. It is of the
sculpture adorning the tomb of
Henri II and Catherine of de Medici.
16C tomb

42. Louis XVI (reign 1774-93) and Marie-Antoinette. Both of them were
executed during the French Revolution. St. Denis Basilica.
19C tomb

43. Louis XVI (reign 1774-93) and Marie-Antoinette bodies were transfer to the
church after the revolution. St. Denis Basilica.
19C tomb

44. The Crypt
The crypt beneath the basilica became the Bourbon grave, holding the remains of Louis XVI and
Louis XVIII and their queens.

45. The Crypt
Stained glass in the crypt.

46. The plan and the burial places in St. Denis Basilica. There are some 70 royal tombs in the basilica.
The Plan

47. Location of the Basilica Cathedral
St Denis from centre of Paris.

48. Evolution of styles …

49. Music – Au fond du temple saint (duet) from the opera,
Pearl Fishers (1863), written by Bizet. It is a story about
two Ceylonese fishermen, who renounced their love for a
woman and remain friends forever. …
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The End
The north tower was rebuilt
in 1837 after struck by
lightning. The new tower
collapsed in 1845 under its
own weight.
Architectural Terms

50. Related Powerpoints …