Suger's Rebuilding of Saint-Denis

Timeline

1. 1122–1124Abbey of Saint-Denis · Île-de-FranceSuger was elected abbot of Saint-Denis in 1122, then set about reforming the monastery's affairs and developing the idea of rebuilding the royal mausoleum church; large-scale reconstruction did not begin until c.1137.
2. 1137–1144Cathedral of Saint-Denis · Île-de-FranceFull rebuilding began c.1137, first reconstructing the west facade, completed in 1140; then the eastern choir was built and consecrated on 11 June 1144. The construction combined pointed arches, ribbed vaults, radiating chapels of the ambulatory, and large windows, creating a lit space distinct from traditional Romanesque, often called the inaugural work of Gothic architecture.