Saint Denis Basilica

SSD_8375The Basilica of Saint Denis is located, coincidentally, in Saint Denis, France. The Basilica is recognized for its gothic architecture and stained glass which was restored in the 19th century.

Saint Denis BasilicaSSD_8432 is often compared to Westminster Abbey in London because it is the final resting place of many French monarchs - all but three of the monarchs of France from the 10th century until 1789 have their remains here. Unfortunately, during the French Revolution many of the monarch tombs were opened, with their bodies removed and dumped in pits.

Napoleon Bonaparte reopened the church in 1806, but the royal remains were left in their mass graves until the search began for the remains of Louis XVI and Marie AntoSSD_8383inette. Their remains were found in 1815 and returned for burial in the crypt of St. Denis. In 1817 the mass graves containing all the other remains were opened, but it was impossible to distinguish any individual in the collection of bones. The remains were therefore placed in an ossuary in the crypt of the church, behind two marble plates bearing the names of the hundreds of members of successive royal dynasties interred in the church.

TSSD_8407he statues of Saint Denis show him holding his decapitated head in his hands. Saint Denis is a patron saint of France and, according to legend, was the first bishop of Paris. Legend relates that he was decapitated on the Hill of Montmartre and subsequently carried his head to the site of the current church, indicating where he wanted to be buried.

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