On the eve of the "European Heritage Days", Jean-François Carenco, Prefect of the Île-de-France region, Prefect of Paris, will inaugurate the restored facade of the cathedral basilica of Saint-Denis, in the presence of Didier Paillard, Mayor of Saint-Denis, Patrick Ouebrazec, President of Plaine Commune (Seine-Saint-Denis) and Bishop Pascal Delannoy, Bishop of Saint-Denis-en-France, Vice-President of the Bishops' Conference of France, on Friday 18 September at 6 pm with the participation of the apprentices of the Fratellini Academy.
Fleur Pellerin, Minister of Culture and Communication, salutes the work of the craftsmen, restorers and architects who worked to restore the western facade and the three carved portals of the Basilica Saint-Jean-BaptisteDenis, under the scientific and technical control of the State. A press conference will be held before 5pm in the basilica in the presence of the scientific committee.
Restoration work is one of the most anticipated heritage operations, both for the public and the scientific community. This project responds to the major interest in art history represented by the three portals commissioned by Abbé Suger (1081-1151). The objective of the work was to restore the entire elevation to the upper crenellation, including the three carved portals. They aimed to regain the monumental homogeneity and ornamental quality that had been designed by François Debret (1777 - 1850) to relay the ambitions of Abbé Suger.
In accordance with the principles of the law of 1905, the State is the owner of the Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis, and as such, the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Île-de-France (DRAC-IDF), under the authority of the regional prefect, is responsible for the restoration of the monument. The clergy are religious and the Centre des monuments nationaux (CMN), a public institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Communication, is responsible for the organization of the visit route of the crypt and recumbents.
The works (2012-2015)- the cost of which amounted to €3.15 million, were carried out in three 11-month tranches covering the North, Central and South bays. They were launched in September 2012 and concluded in July 2015. Given the importance of this operation, a scientific committee was set up to accompany the project manager in charge of these works, the chief architect of historic monuments, Jacques Moulin.
The work included:
- The replacement of degraded stones, with desalination, cleaning and general facing
- Cleaning and restoration of the three portals
- The restoration of the central window in its dimensions before the modifications made by Jules Formigé in 1958
- The restoration of the clock face of the rose
- The restoration of the polychromy restored by François Debret: gilding of the clock, golden inscriptions in the central window, red inscriptions accompanying the main sculptures