Basilica of Saint-Denis

Abbot Suger rebuilt the choir here in the 1140s using pointed arches, ribbed vaults and large stained glass together for the first time in a coherent system, and the result is generally taken as the beginning of Gothic architecture; every Gothic cathedral in Europe descends from what was tried in this building. It was also the royal necropolis: forty-three kings, thirty-two queens and numerous princes were buried here across twelve centuries, their tombs carved as recumbent effigies. The graves were opened and the remains thrown into pits during the Revolution, then partly recovered and returned in 1817, so the monuments stand over a common ossuary.

What you actually see

• Suger's choir - the 1140s work where Gothic architecture begins.
• The royal effigies - tombs of French monarchs across twelve centuries.
• The revolutionary damage - monuments over a common ossuary after 1793.
• The stained glass - twelfth-century windows alongside later restoration.

When to go

Year-round; the necropolis closes on Sunday mornings for services. The basilica is far quieter than central Paris churches. A tower reconstruction project is underway.

Honest expectations

The nave is free but the tombs require a ticket. Saint-Denis is outside central Paris and the area around the station is rough at night. Restoration scaffolding is often present.

Nearby

The Stade de France lies east; central Paris is south.