Who created the Basilica of Saint Denis?
Suger
François DebretJacques Moulin
Basilica Cathedral of Saint Denis/Architects
Basilica of Saint-Denis, France, designed by Abbot Suger, completed 1144.
Why was the Basilica of St Denis built?
The desire of many aristocrats to be buried close to Saint Denis led to the expansion of the basilica in the 6th and 7th centuries. In the 8th century, on the occasion of his coronation, Pepin the Short decided to rebuild the building in the manner of a Roman basilica.
Why is the Basilica of Saint Denis important?
The Basilica of Saint Denis Known as the Basilique Saint-Denis in French, this medieval church on the outskirts of Paris houses the remains of several relics sacred to the Catholic Church, as well as the graves of 43 French kings, 32 French queens, and 10 royal servants who were apparently very loyal to their monarchs.
What is the story of St. Denis?
A legend recorded in the 9th century recounts that Denis was beheaded on Montmartre and that his decapitated corpse carried his head to the area northeast of Paris where the Benedictine abbey of St. Denis was founded. Denis is often portrayed in art as a decapitated (though evidently living) figure.
What was the Basilica of Saint-Denis made of?
Stone
Initially the nave of St-Denis had mosaic walls, a low wood roof and marble columns. With the building campaign of 1135 Abbot Suger(1081-1151) created the first church in the gothic style….
| Basic Info | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 1135-1140, 1140-1144, 1231 – late 1200s |
| Material | Stone |
What were abbeys used for?
An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns.
Who is buried in Saint-Denis Basilica?
Among the kings and queens whose remains are buried in the Basilica are Clovis I, the first king of the Franks to unite all the local tribes under one ruler in the 5th century, Louis XV and his wife Marie Leszczyńska , Louis XIV, the famous ‘Sun King’, and his Queen consort Maria Theresa of Spain, and the last King and …
What did Suger renovate on the Basilica of Saint-Denis?
Suger created a new sculptural convention by displaying a series of Old Testament kings, queens, and prophets attached to columns that flanked each of the three portals. Called jamb statues, these figures reiterated the connection between the church and monarchy. Saint-Denis boasted twenty of these statues.
What was the Basilica of Saint Denis made of?
Did St Denis really carry his head?
Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris, was beheaded in that city in the year 250. According to legend, angels accompanied him as he carried his own head from the place of execution to his chosen burial site, where later the church of Saint Denis was built just outside of Paris.
Who murdered Saint-Denis?
Gregory of Tours states that Denis was bishop of the Parisii and was martyred by being beheaded by a sword. The earliest document giving an account of his life and martyrdom, the “Passio SS. Dionysii Rustici et Eleutherii”, dates from c. 600, is mistakenly attributed to the poet Venantius Fortunatus, and is legendary.
How did Saint-Denis body end up at the site of the church named for him?
The site was chosen because of the association with St. Denis, the first Bishop of Paris and founder of Christianity in France, who was buried there All but three of the monarchs of France from the 10th century until 1789 have their remains here.
What is the significance of the Basilica of Saint Denis?
The Basilica of Saint-Denis (French: Basilique royale de Saint-Denis, or simply Basilique Saint-Denis) is a large medieval abbey church in the city of Saint-Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris. The building is of singular importance historically and architecturally as its choir, completed in 1144,…
What is the history of the abbey of Saint Denis?
For centuries, the former royal abbey of Saint-Denis illuminated the artistic, political and spiritual history of the Frankish world. The abbey-church was designated a ” basilica ” in Merovingian times. In the 12th century the abbot of Saint-Denis, Suger, still qualified it in his works as a “basilica”.
What is Saint Denis the patron saint of?
Saint Denis, a patron saint of France, became the first bishop of Paris. He was decapitated on the hill of Montmartre in the mid-third century with two of his followers, and is said to have subsequently carried his head to the site of the current church, indicating where he wanted to be buried.
What happened to Saint Denis?
In the 9th century, 600 years after the death of the saint, the abbot of Saint-Denis, Hilduin, established what can be called the legend of Saint Denis. According to this account he was beheaded on the Butte Montmartre, the Mount of Martyrs, from where he carried his head in his hands right up to the current location of the basilica.