Basilica of Saint-Denis

The Basilica of Saint-Denis (French: Basilique de Saint-Denis) is an abbey church located in Saint-Denis, France. Considered the first Gothic church, the basilica provided an architectural model for cathedrals and abbeys of northern France, England and other countries. The royal crypt beneath the basilica houses the bodies of all but three kings of France.Assassin's Creed: Unity – Dead Kings – Database: Royal Crypt
==History==
Constructed in 475, the Basilica of Saint-Denis was situated upon the remains of a cemetery, with the intention of housing the relics of its patron saint. It also served as the burial site for Kings of France across many centuries,Assassin's Creed: Unity – Dead Kings – Database: Basilica of Saint Denis to which it was colloquially referred to as the "royal necropolis of France";Assassin's Creed: Unity – Dead Kings – the remains of all but three French monarchs have been interred at the basilica.
In 1135, the building's layout was redesigned and expanded by the abbot Suger – an influential royal counselor and the foremost historian of his time – based on the knowledge he had received from the Apple of Eden located in the Saint-Denis Temple.Assassin's Creed: Unity – Dead Kings – Suger's LegacyAssassin's Creed: Unity – Dead Kings – A Crown of Thorns Through this, the basilica was transformed into the first Gothic church, though Suger did not live to see the project completed. However, prior to his death, Suger hid a sword bearing his namesake inside the basilica, and devised various riddles around the topology of the town in order to protect it.
During the from 1562-1598, the tomb of Louis IX was melted for its brass and his body disappeared. According to several secret accounts, Louis XIV subsequently had the tomb rebuilt inside a hidden chamber of the crypt.
In 1793, anti-Royalist revolutionaries desecrated the basilica's royal necropolis under orders of the National Convention. They destroyed graves, unearthed valuables and tossed the bodies of the kings into the streets; citizens of the time were traumatized to see figures who had been considered divine violated to such a degree.
In August 1794, Arno Dorian entered the royal crypt beneath the basilica, in an effort to locate the Condorcet manuscript for the Marquis de Sade. However, as the manuscript and various other relics had been looted from the tomb, the ex-Assassin was forced to leave empty-handed.Assassin's Creed: Unity – Dead Kings – Buried Words Later, upon the urging of a local boy named Léon, Arno returned to the basilica to find clues regarding the location of an artifact sought by tomb raiders in the employ of Napoleon Bonaparte.Assassin's Creed: Unity – Dead Kings – Raising the Dead
==Gallery==
ACU DK Basilica of Saint-Denis 02 - Concept Art.jpg|Concept art of the Basilica
ACU DK Basilica of Saint-Denis 01 - Concept Art.jpg|Concept art of the Basilica
ACU DK Basilica of Saint Denis Interior - Concept Art.jpg|Concept art of the Basilica's interior
ACUDB - Royal Crypt.png|The Royal Crypt beneath the Basilica
==Appearances==
*Assassin's Creed: Unity – Dead Kings
==References==
Category:Churches
Category:Necropoleis
Category:Landmarks in Saint-Denis
fr:Basilique Saint-Denis