The Abbey of Saint-Denis

About four miles north of Paris lies the Abbey of Saint-Denis. Originally founded in 630 by King Dagobert, it sits at the site of Saint Denis' martyrdom. The abbey underwent a reconstruction in the 12th century under Abbot Suger and became one of the earliest instances of Gothic architecture.

The church grew in fame. Joan of Arc blessed her weapons here, and many French rulers and aristocrats were buried in its crypt, including Louis XII, Catherine de Medicis, Louis XVI, and Marie Antoinette. During the French Revolution, many royal tombs were desecrated and many sacred objects were lost. And in the years following, the church fell further into disrepair. It was, however, repaired under the rule of Napoleon.

Among its treasures are a number of elaborate 12th Century stained-glass windows, carved tombs, mosaics, and the French Regalia, which were objects used during the coronation of French kings.

Gothic ArchitectureSaint Denis, Saint Denis• First Gothic building• Inspired by patron, Abbot Suger• Gets away from the sense of

wall, opens up spaces in the ambulatory

• Spatial unity, spaces in apse flow one into the other: key to the understanding of the Gothic style

• Minimize mass and weight• Small scale of building, it appears

larger than it is• Coming together of rib vaults,

pointed arches, clustered linear accents, increased spatial flow

• Maximizing use of stained glass

Gothic Architecture

Notre Dame, Paris• Tallest nave of the 12th century

churches• Tall and thin interior space• Enlarged windows• Nave: flat columnar strips, shafts

free-standing• Moldings become thinner and

finer• Early Gothic: the rib vaults start at

the ceiling, but go down to the capitals of the columns, not to the floor

• First large scale use of flying buttresses to shore up height of building

Gothic Architecture

Notre Dame, Paris Façade:

• Ground floor: portal sculpture• Second floor: King’s gallery

of 28 kings of the Old Testament

• Third floor: Rose window for stained glass

• Fourth floor: Grand gallery for hanging of bells

• Fifth floor: bell towers• Gargoyles a 19th century

addition, not original to the building

Gothic Architecture outside FranceSalisbury Cathedral, Salisbury • English Gothic buildings: located in a

park called a close• Façade does not correspond to interior• Sculpture covers façade• Small towers• Small portals• Emphasis on central tower• Buttresses subdued• Horizontal look of interior• Two transepts• Larger apse• Excessive length of nave• English favor walls that meet at right

angles

Gothic Architecture outside France

Chapel of Henry VII, Westminster Abbey, London

• Culmination of English Perpendicular style

• More vertical than Salisbury

• Architectural embroidery• Fan vaults hang like

stalactites• Lierne vaulting

Saint Elizabeth, Marburg

•Without a use of a parade of flying buttresses

•Double rows of tall windows

•More unified and free-flowing

•Hall church format: nave and side aisles same height, unified space interior

•Exterior unified and compact

Bourges Cathedral

Gothic Architecture outside France

Milan Cathedral, Milan• Spacious hall church• Reduced clerestory level• Small flying buttresses• Italian characteristic of unusual

width of cathedrals• Renaissance pediments• Heavily decorated exterior• Classical elements of the

Renaissance added to façade • Extremely protracted construction

period