Courtyard Paris Saint Denis

Elements of French Funerary Sculptural Style

by hquittner

Look at the large mausolea. By far the most elaborate mausoleum is that of Louis XII and Anne of Bretagne, a cooperative work by several Italian artists. The sculptural encasement of a tomb by mourners (“pleurants”;weepers) who symbolize the implied virtues of the deceased was a conceit originated by Claus Sluter at the Chartreuse of Champmol outside of Dijon at the end of the 14C. It migrated to Italy as well. Contemporary with this tomb (16C), Michelangelo was creating them. Here the figures have escaped from the base and are just "hanging out". The original Dijon style was followed here in the tomb of the Ducs d'Orleans with weepers along the base. The “living” praying royal couples (their souls?) are on the roof praying while the dead gisants are on the floor below. Sometimes bronze is substituted for marble or other stone (cost, availability and speed may have been factors). In the structures of Francois I and Louis XII battle scenes in bas-relief are placed at suitable sites. (Significant military victories were of course a virtue).

The Nave

by Diana75

Abbot Suger began to reconstruct the choir in 1137 and completed in 1144. He continued to reconstruct the nave but he died in 1151 before finished it.

The works to the nave, with the three-story elevation of the arcade, triforium and clerestory, were started again in 1231-1281 probably by Pierre de Montreuil.

The vaults of the ambulatory are cross-ribbed.

The ceiling height is about 24m.

Statue of the Virgin with child

by Diana75

The beautiful wooden painted statue of the Virgin dating from the second part of the 12C is places on the right side of the altar.

Made in Romanesque style, the state was brought from St-Martin-des-Champs.

Stade de France

by MM212

Not since the construction of Basilique Saint-Denis has the town of Saint Denis seen such a massive monumental construction. Le Stade de France was completed in 1998 specifically for the World Cup which the nation hosted - and won - later that year. It is France's largest stadium and one of the largest in Europe, with a seating capacity of over 80,000. The stadium is located south of the Autoroute and the historic centre of Saint Denis, and is easily seen on the drive to and from the airport of Charles de Gaulle.

A Trip to Saint-Denis-Not for Beginning Sightseers

by hquittner

"Why Visit St.-Denis?"

St.-Denis (pop. over 100K) is one of the seediest of the “banlieu” of Paris and is so close to town that there is a Metro stop (line 13) and an RER as well. There is an abbey adjacent to the church and two museums of interest but the real attraction is the Basilica of St.-Denis (Michelin guides have labeled it a 2 or 3* destination). If you are an architecture buff, it is 5*. The nave was redone a century after Suger by Pierre de Montreuil (it is believed) and is the first church done in the Rayonnant Gothic style. The lower ambulatory, Abbot Suger’s expression of the prototype for Gothic window treatment , cited in every textbook, is intact but remaining stained glass in them is hard to find (Some pieces are in the Cluny Museum). But the main reason for visiting are the royal tombs and effigies. (Several tombs are masterpieces of Renaissance sculpture).

"The Restoration of the Basilica"

It is important to emphasize that the church is a restoration and that the survival of the remains that are its basis is sheer luck. The tombs were saved by Alexandre Lenoir who sequestered them, as well as other great sculptures from all over Paris, in the Beaux Arts School during the Revolution. The ego of Napoleon and a recognition of France’s artistic heritage lead to poor attempts to restore the mausoleum. It took the genius of Viollet-le-Duc to make the government understand its true value and empower him to “scientifically” restore (1847-79) the basilica. So what is here is a small example of one of his textbooks on architecture (there are many others such as Carcasonne and Pierrefonds). He got his first commission to restore old Gothic churches when his predecessor botched the rebuilding of the South Tower. By studying the old documents he recognized the forgotten architectural genius of the Gothic period and rehabilitated Gothic architecture and its buildings.

"Even the Old Doors Are Preserved"

Fine old doors are often missing from old churches; see this one.