basilica of Saint Denis
This former abbey became a place of pilgrimage when Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris was buried here, after his decapitation by the Romans, in the third century A.D. Enlarged many times, the church is the birthplace of Gothic architecture in France. When king Dagobert decided to be inhumed here, he was followed by the next dynasties of French Kings. It then, became a royal necropolis. Ransacked during the French Revolution, all the tombs were pillaged and bodies placed in mass graves. King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were originally buried close to the Concorde square (called Expiatory Chapel) and were transferred here more than twenty years after their death. Two different guided tours are available : the highlights and a tour about women of Saint Denis. Combine this visit with the Expiatory Chapel in Paris.
For more information click on the pictures below.
Information
Admission fee : 9 € per adult. Special price for groups. Opening times : 10h-17h15 (except on Sunday 12h-17h15) and from April 1 to September 30 : 10h-18h15.
Highlights
Guided tour (1h30-2h) of the basilica, including the most beautiful tombs, of Catherine of Medici and Henri II, Louis XII and Anne de Bretagne.
Women of Saint Denis
Guided tour specialising in famous women at the basilica and especially about queen Marie-Antoinette.
My favorite monuments
Join me to visit some of my favourite monuments of Paris. The Opera Garnier has an unbelievable architecture and it keeps fascinating me.
The Pere Lachaise cemetery is really a place to stroll around, to discover its amazing statues and graves. Its quiet alleys surrounded by old trees, are full of charm.
Basilica of Saint Denis is a delightful monument, where you can appreciate the most important number of recumbent medieval statues and the first example of the gothic style in France.