Abbey Church of Saint Denis

Examples of Abbey Church of Saint Denis in the following topics:

• Gothic Architecture: The Abbey Church of Saint Denis

  • The Abbey Church of Saint Denis is known as the first Gothic structure and was developed in the 12th century by Abbot Suger.
  • The Abbey Church of Saint Denis, also known as the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis, is a large medieval abbey church in the commune of Saint Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris.
  • Dagobert I refounded the church as the Abbey of Saint Denis, a Benedictine monastery.
  • Thus, the Abbey of Saint Denis became the prototype for further building in the royal domain of northern France.
  • Illustrate a timeline of the creation of the Abbey Church of Saint Denis

• Norman Stained Glass

  • At Le Mans, Saint-Denis, and Chartres Cathedrals in France, as well as Canterbury Cathedral in England, a number of panels of the 12th century have survived.
  • Especially fine are large figures from around the year 1200 from Strasbourg Cathedral and Saint Kunibert's Church in Cologne, both in France.
  • Chartres Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, is a medieval Catholic cathedral of the Latin Church located in Chartres, France.
  • It presents a diverse range of scenes from the Old and New Testaments, the Lives of Saints, and various miracles of the Virgin.
  • The Basilica of Saint Denis (also known as Basilique Saint-Denis) is a large medieval abbey church in the city of Saint-Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris.

• The Romanesque Period

  • The invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy, in 1066, saw the building of castles and churches that reinforced the Norman presence.
  • Several significant churches built at this time were founded by rulers as seats of temporal and religious power, or as places of coronation and burial.
  • These include the Abbaye-Saint-Denis and Westminster Abbey (where little of the Norman church now remains).
  • The most notable single building that demonstrates this is St Mark's Basilica, Venice but there are many lesser known examples, such as the church of Saint-Front, Périgueux and Angoulême Cathedral.
  • The iconography of their church work was likely arrived at in consultation with clerical advisers.

• Cistercian Architecture

  • This order was founded by a group of Benedictine monks from the monastery of Molesme in 1098, with the goal of more closely following the Rule of Saint Benedict.
  • Because of the pure style of the Cistercian monasteries and churches, they may be counted among the most beautiful relics of the Middle Ages.
  • In the mid-12th century, the prominent Benedictine Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis had united elements of Norman architecture with elements of Burgundinian architecture (including rib vaults and pointed arches respectively), creating the new style of Gothic architecture.
  • Foigny Abbey was 98 meters (322 ft) long; Vaucelles Abbey was 132 metres (433 ft) long.
  • The abbeys of 12th century England were stark and undecorated – a dramatic contrast with the elaborate churches of the wealthier Benedictine houses – yet to quote Warren Hollister, "even now the simple beauty of Cistercian ruins such as Fountains and Rievaulx, set in the wilderness of Yorkshire, is deeply moving".

• The Church

  • In France, the famous abbeys of Aux Dames and Les Hommes, at Caen and Mont Saint-Michel respectively, date from this period, as do the abbeys of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.
  • Many cathedrals owe their foundation to this period, often beginning as monastic abbey churches.
  • Unfortunately, very little of the abbey church at Cluny remains.
  • Many churches were like Saint-Front, Périgueux, and had their own homegrown saint; others claimed the remains and the patronage of a powerful saint whose relics were brought back from the Holy Land, Santiago de Compostella, for example, was host to the presumed relics of one of the Twelve Apostles, St.
  • The Abbey of Saint-Foy, Conques, France.

• Cathedrals

  • Peter's Basilica, Notre Dame de Paris, Cologne Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, Prague Cathedral, Lincoln Cathedral, the Basilica of St Denis, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the Basilica of San Vitale, St Mark's Basilica, and Westminster Abbey.
  • Many cathedrals, basilicas, and a number of abbey churches are among the most renowned works of architecture in existence.
  • After the decline of the Roman Empire, the building of large churches in Western Europe gradually gained momentum with the spread of organized monasticism under the rule of Saint Benedict and others.
  • Many large cathedrals and abbey churches had been constructed by the mid 12th century and the engineering skills required to build high arches, stone vaults, tall towers, and the like were well established.
  • The word baroque means "a pearl of irregular shape. " There are many large churches, abbeys, and basilicas built in this style, but few cathedrals in Western Europe.

• Pilgrimage Churches

  • The Crusades resulted in the transfer of, among other things, a great number of Holy Relics of saints and apostles.
  • Many churches, like Saint-Front, Périgueux, had their own home grown saint while others, most notably Santiago de Compostela, claimed the remains and the patronage of a powerful saint, in this case one of the Twelve Apostles.
  • Saint-Benoît-du-Sault, in the Berry province, is typical of the churches that were founded on the pilgrim route.
  • The result of the considerable number of new churches being built and the rising wealth of the pilgrimage churches, was the growth of Romanesque architecture.
  • The most significant are the great abbey churches, many of which are still standing, more or less complete and frequently in use.

• Norman Architecture

  • The Normans introduced large numbers of castles and fortifications, including Norman keeps, monasteries, abbeys, churches, and cathedrals.
  • The Church of Saint-Pierre is another prime example of Norman architecture.
  • It is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Peter; it is situated on the Place Saint Pierre in the center of Caen in Normandy.
  • The Church of St.
  • The Abbey of Saint-Étienne is a former Benedictine monastery in the French city of Caen, Normandy, dedicated to Saint Stephen.

• Romanesque Architecture: The Church of Saint-Lazare

  • The Autun Cathedral, or the Cathedral of Saint-Lazare, is a Roman Catholic cathedral and a national monument in Autun, France.
  • The column capitals and main façade of the church are embellished with realistic sculptures carved by Gislebertus, and the artwork is a means of teaching the masses of Christian ethics with dramatic scenes of heaven and hell.
  • The designs were the work of the bishop Etienne de Bâgé, who was particularly influenced by the Cluniac abbey of Paray-le-Monial.
  • The three story elevation of Saint-Lazare was made possible by the use of pointed arches for the nave.
  • Many of the historiated capitals that adorn the columns in Saint-Lazare were carved by Gislebertus.

• English Gothic Architecture

  • The Gothic style was first developed in France, where the various elements had first been used together within a single building at the choir of the Basilique Saint-Denis north of Paris, built by Abbot Suger and dedicated in June 1144.
  • The earliest large-scale applications of Gothic architecture in England are at Canterbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.
  • Castles, palaces, great houses, universities, parish churches, and many smaller unpretentious secular buildings, including almshouses and trade halls, were also built in this style.
  • Examples of the Decorated style can be found in many British churches and cathedrals.
  • Some of the finest features of this period are the magnificent timber roofs: hammerbeam roofs, such as those of Westminster Hall (1395), Christ Church Hall, Oxford, and Crosby Hall, appeared for the first time.