New Britain herald., 1926-02-23
ST. DENIS ONE OF IMPORTANT CITIES
Contains Frances Counterpart of Westminster Abbey

Washington, p, C. Feb. a6--Ria. ine waters of tho Seine recently washed into the grist mill of the days news the uamo Of S'. Denis, Il little French city just outside the northern gates of Paris. Residents Of the island of St. Denis, which Is in tho river opposite the city of St. Denis, and those along the river bank, were forced 10 flee 10 higher ground, some of them taking refuge tn the city barracks,
 "Outwardly St. Denis is one of the least attractive of Paris neigh bors, says q bulletin from the Washington, D. (" headquarters of the National Geographic SoIety. Most travellers on the Nord Ra way from England or Boigium, who catch only flceting glimpse of its smoking chimneys and railroad yards from the car windows, are content 10 let q glance suffice. Mother of Gothic Style
 "St, Denis, however, merits more of the worlds attention" the bull letin continues. Periodically this busy little industrial center of to- day is one of tho mother cities of art as well as the final resting place of most of the royalty of France. Although little visited in comparison to Versailles, lfontainahlau or the chateau country. St. Denis has church that was among the first churches 10 embrace the Gothic style of architecture, considered by some critics the greatest single advance in temple building since Greek and Roman days,
 Within the church, or. more pro- perly. the Basilica of St, Denis, is veritahle museum of French sepul- thirty generations of kings, and queens, and other nobility Of France. In fact. from the tombs of St Denis the names for an almost com plete Who's Who of ancient and medieval France could be copied. Marie Antoinette, Due de Berry. Catherine de Medici Louis XIV. Louis XVI. Louis XII, and a host of other Louis, Anne of Brittany, Marie Teresse, Henri IT, and scores of others sleep their last sleep here in obscurity. but d few miles from the scenes of their former power and grandeur.
 Legend Of st. Dents
 "lt is into the well of legendary lore that one must dip 10 find any thing of the citys early history. Ac- cording 10 legend St. Denis, the first bishop of Paris, suffered martyrdom on Montmartre In Paris about the year c70, and walked with his head in his hands 10 the site of the pres ont Basilica of St. Denis. On the initiative of St. Genovieve the clergy of Paris built chapel over his grave two centuries later.
 "The place soon became a Mecca for religious pilgrims from all parts of France. St. Denis witnessed de- lnges of people in the Middle Ages. which caused her far more concern than those of water today. In the 18th century Abbe Sugar reports that he saw worshippcrs crushed 10 death by the crowds pressing in be- hind them Ii was obvious that the small chapel first erected was un- adequate, When Sugar came into power he enlarged the crypt and above it built choir. with tall slender columns supporting the in- tersecting arches of the vault.
 Gothic Style Spreads
 Although the new style of build ing was not invented at St, Denis, it had never been very seriously considered by former builders be- cause it was not believed possible to support heavy roofs without heavy massive walls Pilgrim reports of the success of the venture at St. Denis resulted. for time. in whole sale transformations of churches from sturdy Romanesque into airy Gothic The Gothic style is being employed today in the new cathe- drals at Washington and at New York.
 Many personages and highlights