HISTOIRE et REGIONS de FRANCE

 L’Histoire de France   
 à la basilique Saint-Denis (ile de france)

Nichée à côté de la mairie de Saint-Denis, invisible quand on sort du parking souterrain le plus proche, la basilique Saint-Denis mérite mieux que ses 170 000 visiteurs annuels.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Ce Ce joyau de l’art gothique, cercueil des rois de France depuis le Xème siècle, livre l’Histoire de France, en images.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Pas dans des livres ou sur écrans, mais au travers de gisants sculptés dans la pierre.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Au total, 43 rois, 32 reines et une soixantaine de princes et princesses ont été enterrés ici.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Les 70 gisants reposent à la vue des visiteurs, comme autant de témoins historiques.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 « Les rois, qu’ils soient capétiens, carolingiens ou mérovingiens, ont voulu créer ce lieu pour se légitimer, être protégés dans leurs batailles et dans l’au-delà », explique Serge Santos, administrateur de la basilique.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       On voit ici Berthe au grand pied, surnommée ainsi pour son pied de bot.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Arégonde, la belle-fille de Clovis, découverte entourée de bijoux au détour de fouilles archéologiques en  ... 1959 !

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Charles Martel, réputé pour son ardeur au combat, sorte de Premier ministre des rois mérovingiens, est inhumé face au roi Dagobert.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Son fils Pépin le Bref sera le premier roi franc sacré à Saint-Denis.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          On découvre aussi le gisant de Charles V, avec ses rides sculptées sur le visage, ses veines sur la main. Les femmes reposent avec un chien à leur pied, qui les guidera au royaume des morts.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Les hommes ont droit au lion, symbole de force et de résurrection. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Dans la crypte, une alcôve abrite les cœurs des Louis XIII, XIV et XVIII, conservés séchés dans des bocaux.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Au fond d’un couloir en souterrain, la crypte archéologique rassemble des dizaines de sarcophages des IV^ème et V^ème siècles.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                La ville et la basilique doivent leur nom à Denis, considéré comme le premier évêque de Paris au III^ème siècle.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Il a eu la tête tranchée par l’épée des Romains, opposés au christianisme.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Denis est mort sans renier sa foi. La cathédrale, bâtie en 1231, en moins de 50 ans — un exploit technique ! —, sera le berceau de l’art gothique en Ile-de-France.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Les corps baignent dans la lumière des vitraux. Les colonnes s’étirent sur 108 m de long, les croisées d’ogives s’élancent jusqu’à 30 m.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            La tombe la plus majestueuse est celle d’Henri II et Catherine de Médicis, la préférée de Serge Santos qui loue la diversité des couleurs de marbre, gris, rouge, blanc, le « travail de sculpture, gracieux, ample et maniériste, influencé par la culture italienne ».

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Les corps gisent, nus, côte à côte, et au dessus, le couple apparaît à genoux.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Les rois reposent en paix jusqu’en 1793. Les Révolutionnaires décident alors de les retirer de la basilique.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ils récupèrent les plombs des cercueils pour les transformer en armes.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Tous les corps sont jetés dans une fosse commune et recouverts de chaux, dans le jardin de la cathédrale.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Sauf les gisants du Moyen Âge, préservés à 80 %.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Ils sont transférés au Musée des monuments français, face au Louvre. En 1815, Louis XVIII fait fermer le musée, rapatrie les gisants à Saint-Denis et réintègre symboliquement les ossements des rois.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         L’objet de culte devient alors objet patrimonial. Saint-Denis se visitera désormais comme un musée, pour ses trésors.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Source : ( source : Le Parisien)