A Virtual Tour on Saint-Denis—A Town in the Middle Ages

A Virtual Tour of Saint-Denis, A Town in the Middle Ages
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A Virtual Tour of Saint-Denis, A Town in the Middle Ages
Introduction
In the modern world, due to technological advancement, we can virtually reconstruct and tour ancient cities. Saint-Denis is an example of such towns. It is a northern suburb of Paris located on the right bank of the Seine River (Britannica, 2019). Before the Industrial Revolution, Saint-Denis was only a small town with the abbey church as its heartbeat, where kings of France were traditionally buried. The church has an essential role in the development of the Gothic architecture style. The city has a reputation for traditional celebrations and fairs. This paper describes a virtual tour of the ancient city.
The Town and the Abbey
Between the third and fourth centuries, the town began as a single church building, from the Late Antiquity to the early Merovingian period. Around this church, excavations reveal a small rural settlement. The presence of a contemporary necropolis, as revealed by archeology, shows the presence of a Christian cemetery. It is believed that Denis, the first Bishop of Paris, was buried here. In the 7th century, the church was rebuilt as a basilica with columns, with a monastery, dormitory, refectory, kitchen, baths, bakery, and cellar laying a foundation for a variety of activities that would transform the modest area into a town. In the same period, a royal residence was built in the area, increasing the importance of the town. The early 12th century saw the development of the royal lend it fair. The economic expansion of this period resulted in more buildings around the basilica. Secular housing was also a product of this period. At the beginning of the Hundred Year's war, t...