Saint-Denis-en-France, Saint-Denis
documents

Building Data for Saint-Denis-en-France, Saint-Denis

  •  
  • Type: Abbey
  • Affiliation: Benedictine
  •  
  • Region: Ile-de-France
  • Department: Seine-St-Denis
  • Coords: 48.935, 2.3598
  •  
  • Surveyed: 1969, 1977, 1980-83, 1992-98, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2015, 2017

Map

Studies These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database.
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These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database.

Documents for Saint-Denis-en-France, Saint-Denis

1140



Dedication of the western part of the church.

1140 - DEDICATUM EST NOVUM OPUS ECCLESIE BEATI DYONISII ANTERIORI PARTE A DOMNO HUGONE ROTHOMAGENSI ARCHIEPISCOPO, NONO DECIMO ANNO AMMINISTRATIONIS DOMNI SUGERII ABBATIS, QUI IDEM OPUS CONSTRUXIT.

1140 - the front part of the new work of the church of Saint-Denis was dedicated by Hugo, archbishop of Reims, in the nineteenth year of the administration of Abbot Suger, who had built the work.

Source: Berger, Annales, 277. Chronicon Sancti dionysii ad cyclos paschales. Also Achery, Spicilegium, ii, 495.


1140, June 9



Western chapel of St. Romanus above narthex dedicated

ORATORIUM SANCTI ROMANI AD FAMULANDUM DEO SANCTISQUE...QUI LOCUS QUAM SECRETALIS, QUAM DEVOTUS, QUAM HABILIS DIVINA CELEBRANTIBUS, QUI IBIDEM DEO DESERVIUNT, AC SI JAM IN PARTE DUM SACRIFICANT EORUM IN COELIS SIT HABITATIO, COGNORUNT.

We brought about that the chapel of St. Romanus be dedicated...How secluded this place is, how hallowed, how convenient for those celebrating the divine rights has come to be known to those who serve God there as though they were already dwelling, in a degree, in Heaven while they sacrifice.

Source: Abbot Suger, De administratione, xxvi, in Panofsky, Erwin, Abbot Suger on the Abbey Church of St.-Denis and its Art Treasures, Princeton, 1946, 46.

1144



Dedication of the choir.

1144 - DEDICATIO CAPITALIS PARTIS ECCLESIE, ET TRANSLATIO BEATI DYONISII ET SOCIORUM EJUS IN EANDAM PARTEM CAPITALEM,...XXIII ANNO AMMINISTRATIONIS DOMNI SUGERII ABBATIS.

1144 - Dedication of the choir of the church, and the translation of Saint-Denis and others to the choir,...the twenty-third year of the administration of Abbot Suger.

Source: Berger, Annales, 277. Chronicon Sancti dionysii ad cyclos paschales. Also Achery, Spicilegium, ii, 495.

1144



Time needed to construct the choir

INSISTENTES IGITUR PER TRIENNIUM MULTO SUMPTU, POPULOSO OPERARIORUM CONVENTU, AESTATE ET HIEME, OPERIS PERFECTIONI,...

For three years we pressed the completion of the work at great expense, with a numerous crowd of workmen, summer and winter,...

Source: Abbot Suger, De consecratione, v, in Panofsky, Erwin, Abbot Suger on the Abbey Church of St.-Denis and its Art Treasures, Princeton, 1946, 104.

1144, June 11



Choir consecrated.

CERTUM EST ETIAM ARGUMENTUM, QUOD IN TRIBUS ANNIS ET TRIBUS MENSIBUS TOTUM ILLUD MAGNIFICUM OPUS, ET IN INFERIORE CRIPTA ET IN SUPERIORE VOLTARUM SUBLIMITATE, TOT ARCUUM ET COLUMNARUM DISTINCTIONE VARIATUM, ETIAM OPERTURAE INTEGRUM SUPPLEMENTUM ADMISERIT...ANNUS MILLENUS ET CENTENUS QUADRAGENUS QUARTUS ERAT VERBI, QUANDO SACRATA FUIT.

It allowed that whole magnificent building [to be completed] in three years and three months, from the crypt below to the summit of the vaults above, elaborated with the variety of so many arches and columns, including even the consummation of the roof...The year was the one thousand, one hundred, forty and fourth of the Word when [the choir] was consecrated.

Source: Abbot Suger, De administratione, xxviii, in Panofsky, Erwin, Abbot Suger on the Abbey Church of St.-Denis and its Art Treasures, Princeton, 1946, 48-50.

1231



Reconstruction required.

IN REPARATIONE ECCLESIE NOSTRE TAM UTILI QUAM NECESSARIA CUM RUINAM MINARETUR.

...for repairs to our church, which through use and inevitably threatening ruin.

Source: Archives Nationales, Paris, LL 1157, fol. 85.

1231 or later



Rebuilding described.

HOC ANNO CEPIT ODO ABBAS RENOVARE CAPITIUM ECCLESIE B. DIONYSII ARYOPAGITI IN FRANTIA, ET PERFECIT ILLUD USQUE AD FINEM CHORI, HOC EXCEPTO QUOD TURRIS UBI SUNT CINBALA A PARTE REVESTIARII NON ERAT PERFECTA, NEC VOLTATUS ERAT CHORUS, SED A PARTE SANCTI IPOLITII TOTUM ERAT PERFECTUM, ET ETIAM VOLTATUM ERAT A PARTE VESTIARII.

This year Odo began to rebuild the choir of the church of Saint-Denis the Areopagite in France, and it was completed all the way to the boundary of the choir, excluding the towers where the bells are to the sacristy where the remodelling was not done, nor also the choir, but all was perfected from Saint-Hippolyte to the vestry.

Source: Branner, 1965, 47, note 30. Also Chronicon Sancti dionysii ad cyclos paschales, Ecole des chartes, xl, 1879, 281.


1236



Relics of Saint Hippolyte translated to transept.

1236 - HOC ANNO IN PURIFICATIONE BEATE MARIE TRANSLATION FUIT CUM MAGNA SOLLEMPNITATE CORPUS SANCTI YPOLITI AB ORATORIO QUOD DIU FUERAT IN MEDIA NAVI ECCLESIE IN NOVUM ORATORIUM IN SINISTRA PARTE NOVI OPERIS;...

1236 - This year at the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, the body of Saint Hippolyte was translated with great solemnity from a chapel where it had been in the middle of the nave of the church to a new chapel in the left part of the new work;...

Source: Berger, Annales, 281. Chronicon Sancti dionysii ad cyclos paschales. Also Achery, Spicilegium, ii, 496.


1231



Choir rebuilt.

1231 - HOC ANNO RENOVATUM EST CAPITULUM BEATI DYONISII.

1231 - This year the choir of Saint-Denis was rebuilt.

Source: Berger, Annales, 281. Chronicon Sancti dionysii ad cyclos paschales; Achery, 1723, ii, 496.