Follow the arrow...
The Association Suivre La Flèche is leading the project to rebuild the north bell tower and the spire of the Saint-Denis cathedral basilica. This major project will restore its original silhouette to the façade of the basilica, the European cradle of Gothic architecture.
... what arrow?
Saint-Denis Basilica has been waiting to find its spire for more than 170 years! For seven centuries, the north bell tower and the spire of Saint-Denis have been powerful visual landmarks in Ile-de-France. Completed at the end of the 12th century, the spire stood proudly at 90 meters high, rivaling the towers of Notre-Dame. Weakened by lightning and a violent hurricane, it had to be dismantled stone by stone in 1846, pending its reconstruction.
A construction site like no other!
From the expertise of cathedral builders to the digital devices of tomorrow, the work on the spire will be a unique opportunity to share with the public. In line with their ancestors, master builders and craftsmen will work before your eyes, at the foot of the basilica. Like a conservatory of know-how open to the future, this visitable site will be a bridge between matter, spirit, hand and virtual immersion.
European Heritage Days
On the occasion of the European Heritage Days, come and meet the stonemasons of the spire of Saint-Denis! We will be on Saturday afternoon at the Fabrique de la Ville, to introduce you to the gestures, millennia, of stone cutting.