Basilica of Saint-Denis

Built around 1137 to house the remains of the first bishop of Paris, Saint Dionysius, it is one of the great masterpieces of Gothic architecture and soon became an example for the construction of other French cathedrals.

Over the centuries it has been used as the burial place of French royalty and a place of pilgrimage for many French people. Today, as many as 43 kings and 32 queens rest in its crypt, whose tombs are adorned with large statues called gisants, sculpted by great artists with the help of death masks.

The cathedral is striking for the timeless beauty of its architectural elements, elegant and grandiose, revealing the transition from the Romanesque to the Gothic style and its magnificent stained glass windows.

To reach the basilica using public transport, the following solutions can be used:

• Metro: line 13, stop Basilique de Saint-Denis, definitely the most recommended solution
• RER: line D
• Tram: line T1