Saint-Denis
Encyclopedia
Saint-Denis is a commune
in the northern suburbs of Paris
, France
. It is located 9.4 km (5.8 mi) from the centre of Paris
. Saint-Denis is a sous-préfecture
of the Seine-Saint-Denis
département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Denis
.
Saint-Denis is home to the royal necropolis of Saint Denis Basilica
and was also the location of the associated abbey
. It is also home to France's national stadium, Stade de France
, built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup
.
Saint-Denis is a formerly industrial suburb currently reconverting its economic base.
Inhabitants of Saint-Denis are called Dionysiens.
, was martyred on Montmartre
hill and buried in Catolacus. Later his grave became a shrine and a pilgrimage center, with the building of the Abbey of Saint Denis
, and the settlement was renamed Saint-Denis.
In 1793, during the French Revolution
, Saint-Denis was renamed Franciade in a gesture of rejection of religion. In 1803, however, under the Consulate
of Napoléon Bonaparte
, the city recovered its former name of Saint-Denis.
, almost every French king was buried in the Basilica.
However, Saint-Denis is older than that. In the 2nd century, there was a Gallo-Roman village named Catolacus on the location that Saint-Denis occupies today. Saint Denis
, the first bishop of Paris and patron saint of France, was martyred in about 250 and buried in the cemetery of Catolacus. Denis' tomb quickly became a place of worship.
Sainte Geneviève
, around 475, had a small chapel erected on Denis' tomb, by then a popular destination for pilgrims.
It was this chapel that Dagobert I had rebuilt and turned into a royal monastery. Dagobert granted many privileges to the monastery: independence from the bishop of Paris, the right to hold a market, and, most importantly, he was buried in Saint-Denis; a tradition which was followed by almost all his successors.
During the Middle Ages
, because of the privileges granted by Dagobert, Saint-Denis grew very important. Merchants from all over Europe
(and indeed from the Byzantine Empire
) came to visit its market.
In 1140, Abbot Suger
, counselor to the King, granted further privileges to the citizens of Saint-Denis. He also started the works of enlargement of the basilica that still exists today, often cited as the first example of Gothic Architecture
. The new church was consecrated in 1144.
Saint-Denis suffered heavily in the Hundred Years' War
; of its 10,000 citizens, only 3,000 remained after the war.
During the French Wars of Religion
, the Battle of Saint-Denis
was fought between Catholic
s and Protestants on 10 November 1567. The Protestants were defeated, but the Catholic commander Anne de Montmorency
was killed. In 1590, the city surrendered to Henry IV
, who converted to Catholicism in 1593 in the abbey of Saint-Denis.
King Louis XIV
started several industries in Saint-Denis: weaving and spinning mills and dyehouses. His successor, Louis XV
, whose daughter was a nun in the Carmelite convent
, took a lively interest in the city: he added a chapel to the convent and also renovated the buildings of the royal abbey.
During the French Revolution, not only was the city renamed "Franciade" from 1793 to 1803, but the royal necropolis
was looted and destroyed. The remains were removed from the tombs and thrown together; during the French Restoration, since they could not be sorted out anymore, they were reburied in a common ossuary
.
The last king to be interred in Saint-Denis was Louis XVIII
. After France became a republic
and an empire, Saint-Denis lost its association with royalty.
On 1 January 1860, the city of Paris
was enlarged by annexing neighboring communes. On that occasion, the commune of La Chapelle-Saint-Denis was disbanded and divided between the city of Paris, Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen
, and Aubervilliers
. Saint-Denis received the north-western part of La Chapelle-Saint-Denis.
During the 19th century, Saint-Denis became increasingly industrialized. Transport was much improved: in 1824 the Canal Saint-Denis
was constructed, linking the Canal de l'Ourcq
in the northeast of Paris to the River Seine
at the level of L'Île-Saint-Denis
, and in 1843 the first railway reached Saint-Denis. By the end of the century, there were 80 factories in Saint-Denis.
The presence of so many industries also gave rise to an important socialist movement
. In 1892, Saint-Denis elected its first socialist administration, and by the 1920s, the city had acquired the nickname of la ville rouge, the red city. Until Jacques Doriot
in 1934, all mayors of Saint-Denis were members of the Communist Party
.
During the Second World War, after the defeat of France
, Saint-Denis was occupied by the Germans
on 13 June 1940. There were several acts of sabotage and strikes
, most notably on 14 April 1942 at the Hotchkiss
factory. After an insurgency
which started on 18 August 1944, Saint-Denis was liberated by General Leclerc on 27 August.
After the war, the economic crisis of the 1970s and 1980s hit the city, which was dependent on its heavy industry, heavily.
During the 1990s, however, the city started to grow again. The 1998 FIFA World Cup provided an enormous impulse; the main stadium for the tournament, the Stade de France
, was built in Saint-Denis, along with many infrastructural improvements, such as the extension of the metro
to Saint-Denis-Université.
Since 2000, Saint-Denis works together with seven neighbouring communes (Aubervilliers
, Villetaneuse
, Pierrefitte-sur-Seine
, Épinay-sur-Seine
, L'Île-Saint-Denis
(since 2003), Stains
(since 2003) and La Courneuve
(since 2005) in Plaine Commune.
In 2003, together with Paris, Saint-Denis hosted the second European Social Forum
.
Saint-Denis is served by four stations on Paris Métro Line 13
: Carrefour Pleyel
, Saint-Denis - Porte de Paris
, Basilique de Saint-Denis
(in the center of town, near the Saint Denis Basilica
), and Saint-Denis – Université.
Saint-Denis is also served by La Plaine – Stade de France
station on Paris RER line B
, which is the closest station to the Stade de France
.
Finally, Saint-Denis is also served by two stations on Paris RER line D
: Stade de France – Saint-Denis
and Saint-Denis
. This last station, historically the only rail station in Saint-Denis before the arrivals of the Métro and the RER, serves also as an interchange station for the Transilien Paris – Nord
suburban rail line.
department (95.67 per 1000). Police efficiency has been reported as very low with only 19.82% of crimes solved by the police.
, Spain
Gera
, Germany
Coatbridge
, United Kingdom
Porto Alegre
, Brazil
Sesto San Giovanni
, Italy
Tuzla
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nazareth
, Israel
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the northern suburbs of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is located 9.4 km (5.8 mi) from the centre of Paris
Kilometre Zero
In many countries, Kilometre Zero or similar terms in other languages, is a particular location , from which distances are traditionally measured...
. Saint-Denis is a sous-préfecture
Sous-préfecture
Subprefectures are the administrative towns of arrondissements in France that do not contain the prefecture for its department. Subprefecture is also the name given to the building which houses the administrative headquarters for the arrondissement....
of the Seine-Saint-Denis
Seine-Saint-Denis
- Culture :A number of hip hop artists come from the Seine-Saint-Denis, including one of the first major hip-hop groups in France, NTM, as well as Lord Kossity, or more recent acts such as Tandem or Sefyu.- Miscellaneous topics :...
département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Denis
Arrondissement of Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis
The arrondissement of Saint-Denis is an arrondissement of France, located in the Seine-Saint-Denis département, in the Île-de-France région...
.
Saint-Denis is home to the royal necropolis of Saint Denis Basilica
Saint Denis Basilica
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis is a large medieval abbey church in the commune of Saint-Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris. The abbey church was created a cathedral in 1966 and is the seat of the Bishop of Saint-Denis, Pascal Michel Ghislain Delannoy...
and was also the location of the associated abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
. It is also home to France's national stadium, Stade de France
Stade de France
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...
, built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
.
Saint-Denis is a formerly industrial suburb currently reconverting its economic base.
Inhabitants of Saint-Denis are called Dionysiens.
Name
Until the 3rd century Saint-Denis was a large settlement called Catcolacus or Catculliacum, probably meaning "estate of Catullius", a Gallo-Roman landowner. About 250, the first bishop of Paris, Saint DenisDenis
Saint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
, was martyred on Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
hill and buried in Catolacus. Later his grave became a shrine and a pilgrimage center, with the building of the Abbey of Saint Denis
Saint Denis Basilica
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis is a large medieval abbey church in the commune of Saint-Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris. The abbey church was created a cathedral in 1966 and is the seat of the Bishop of Saint-Denis, Pascal Michel Ghislain Delannoy...
, and the settlement was renamed Saint-Denis.
In 1793, during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, Saint-Denis was renamed Franciade in a gesture of rejection of religion. In 1803, however, under the Consulate
French Consulate
The Consulate was the government of France between the fall of the Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire in 1799 until the start of the Napoleonic Empire in 1804...
of Napoléon Bonaparte
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
, the city recovered its former name of Saint-Denis.
History
During its history, Saint-Denis has been closely associated with the French royal house; starting from Dagobert IDagobert I
Dagobert I was the king of Austrasia , king of all the Franks , and king of Neustria and Burgundy . He was the last Merovingian dynast to wield any real royal power...
, almost every French king was buried in the Basilica.
However, Saint-Denis is older than that. In the 2nd century, there was a Gallo-Roman village named Catolacus on the location that Saint-Denis occupies today. Saint Denis
Denis
Saint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
, the first bishop of Paris and patron saint of France, was martyred in about 250 and buried in the cemetery of Catolacus. Denis' tomb quickly became a place of worship.
Sainte Geneviève
Genevieve
St Genevieve , in Latin Sancta Genovefa, from Germanic keno and wefa , is the patron saint of Paris in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition...
, around 475, had a small chapel erected on Denis' tomb, by then a popular destination for pilgrims.
It was this chapel that Dagobert I had rebuilt and turned into a royal monastery. Dagobert granted many privileges to the monastery: independence from the bishop of Paris, the right to hold a market, and, most importantly, he was buried in Saint-Denis; a tradition which was followed by almost all his successors.
During the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, because of the privileges granted by Dagobert, Saint-Denis grew very important. Merchants from all over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(and indeed from the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
) came to visit its market.
In 1140, Abbot Suger
Abbot Suger
Suger was one of the last Frankish abbot-statesmen, an historian, and the influential first patron of Gothic architecture....
, counselor to the King, granted further privileges to the citizens of Saint-Denis. He also started the works of enlargement of the basilica that still exists today, often cited as the first example of Gothic Architecture
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
. The new church was consecrated in 1144.
Saint-Denis suffered heavily in the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
; of its 10,000 citizens, only 3,000 remained after the war.
During the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
, the Battle of Saint-Denis
Battle of Saint-Denis (1567)
The Battle of Saint-Denis was fought on November 10, 1567 between Catholics and Protestants during the French Wars of Religion in Saint-Denis near Paris, France.Anne de Montmorency with 16,000 Royalists fell on Condé's 3,500 Huguenots...
was fought between Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s and Protestants on 10 November 1567. The Protestants were defeated, but the Catholic commander Anne de Montmorency
Anne de Montmorency
Anne de Montmorency, duc de Montmorency, Honorary Knight of the Garter was a French soldier, statesman and diplomat. He became Marshal of France and Constable of France.-Early life:...
was killed. In 1590, the city surrendered to Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, who converted to Catholicism in 1593 in the abbey of Saint-Denis.
King Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
started several industries in Saint-Denis: weaving and spinning mills and dyehouses. His successor, Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
, whose daughter was a nun in the Carmelite convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
, took a lively interest in the city: he added a chapel to the convent and also renovated the buildings of the royal abbey.
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
was looted and destroyed. The remains were removed from the tombs and thrown together; during the French Restoration, since they could not be sorted out anymore, they were reburied in a common ossuary
Ossuary
An ossuary is a chest, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains. They are frequently used where burial space is scarce. A body is first buried in a temporary grave, then after some years the skeletal remains are removed and placed in an ossuary...
.
The last king to be interred in Saint-Denis was Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
. After France became a republic
French Second Republic
The French Second Republic was the republican government of France between the 1848 Revolution and the coup by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte which initiated the Second Empire. It officially adopted the motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité...
and an empire, Saint-Denis lost its association with royalty.
On 1 January 1860, the city of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
was enlarged by annexing neighboring communes. On that occasion, the commune of La Chapelle-Saint-Denis was disbanded and divided between the city of Paris, Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen
Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis
Saint-Ouen is a commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. It is located in the northern suburbs of Paris, France 6.6 km from the centre of Paris....
, and Aubervilliers
Aubervilliers
Aubervilliers is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:In medieval times the name Aubervilliers was recorded as Alberti Villare, meaning "estate of Adalbert"...
. Saint-Denis received the north-western part of La Chapelle-Saint-Denis.
During the 19th century, Saint-Denis became increasingly industrialized. Transport was much improved: in 1824 the Canal Saint-Denis
Canal Saint-Denis
The Canal Saint-Denis is a canal in Paris that is in length. The canal connects the Canal de l'Ourcq, at a point north-northwest of the Bassin de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement, with the suburban municipalities of Saint-Denis and Aubervilliers in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis...
was constructed, linking the Canal de l'Ourcq
Canal de l'Ourcq
The Canal de l'Ourcq is a 108.1 km long canal of the Paris Basin with 10 locks. It was built at a width of 3.2 m but was enlarged to 3.7 m , which permitted use by more pleasure boats...
in the northeast of Paris to the River Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
at the level of L'Île-Saint-Denis
L'Île-Saint-Denis
L'Île-Saint-Denis is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.The commune is entirely contained on an island of the Seine River, hence its name.-Heraldry:-Transport:...
, and in 1843 the first railway reached Saint-Denis. By the end of the century, there were 80 factories in Saint-Denis.
The presence of so many industries also gave rise to an important socialist movement
Socialist Movement
The Socialist Movement was an independent left-wing grouping in the United Kingdom that grew out the Socialist Conferences.The Socialist Conferences were held in Chesterfield, Sheffield and Manchester in the years following the defeat of Britain’s miners’ strike of 1984–1985...
. In 1892, Saint-Denis elected its first socialist administration, and by the 1920s, the city had acquired the nickname of la ville rouge, the red city. Until Jacques Doriot
Jacques Doriot
Jacques Doriot was a French politician prior to and during World War II. He began as a Communist but then turned Fascist.-Early life and politics:...
in 1934, all mayors of Saint-Denis were members of the Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
.
During the Second World War, after the defeat of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, Saint-Denis was occupied by the Germans
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
on 13 June 1940. There were several acts of sabotage and strikes
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
, most notably on 14 April 1942 at the Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss et Cie
Société Anonyme des Anciens Etablissements Hotchkiss et Cie was a French arms and car company established by United States engineer Benjamin B. Hotchkiss, who was born in Watertown, Connecticut. He moved to France and set up a factory, first at Viviez near Rodez in 1867, then at Saint-Denis near...
factory. After an insurgency
Insurgency
An insurgency is an armed rebellion against a constituted authority when those taking part in the rebellion are not recognized as belligerents...
which started on 18 August 1944, Saint-Denis was liberated by General Leclerc on 27 August.
After the war, the economic crisis of the 1970s and 1980s hit the city, which was dependent on its heavy industry, heavily.
Stade de France
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...
, was built in Saint-Denis, along with many infrastructural improvements, such as the extension of the metro
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
to Saint-Denis-Université.
Since 2000, Saint-Denis works together with seven neighbouring communes (Aubervilliers
Aubervilliers
Aubervilliers is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:In medieval times the name Aubervilliers was recorded as Alberti Villare, meaning "estate of Adalbert"...
, Villetaneuse
Villetaneuse
Villetaneuse is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.- Heraldry :-University:Villetaneuse is well known for its university named "Université Paris XIII or Paris Nord", in particular: the Polytechnique Science Institut "Institut Galilée" where...
, Pierrefitte-sur-Seine
Pierrefitte-sur-Seine
Pierrefitte-sur-Seine is a commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department and Île-de-France region of France. Today forming part of the northern suburbs of Paris, Pierrefitte lies from the centre of the French capital.- Heraldry :-Transport:...
, Épinay-sur-Seine
Épinay-sur-Seine
-Transport:Épinay-sur-Seine is served by Épinay-sur-Seine station on Paris RER line C.It is also served by Épinay – Villetaneuse station on the Transilien Paris – Nord suburban rail line....
, L'Île-Saint-Denis
L'Île-Saint-Denis
L'Île-Saint-Denis is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.The commune is entirely contained on an island of the Seine River, hence its name.-Heraldry:-Transport:...
(since 2003), Stains
Stains
Stains is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Heraldry:-Transport:Stains is served by Pierrefitte – Stains station on Paris RER line D...
(since 2003) and La Courneuve
La Courneuve
La Courneuve is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:The history of La Courneuve begins as the rest of the region with the invasion of European tribes and the eventual conquering of the area by the Romans. During the Middle Ages,...
(since 2005) in Plaine Commune.
In 2003, together with Paris, Saint-Denis hosted the second European Social Forum
European Social Forum
The European Social Forum is a recurring conference held by members of the alter-globalization movement . In the first few years after it started in 2002 the conference was held every year, but later it became biannual due to difficulties with finding host countries...
.
Heraldry
- Motto : Saint Denys Montjoie !
- the arms of Saint-Denis are blazoned : Azure semé de lys Or (=France Ancient).
Immigration
Transport
Paris Metro Line 13
Line 13 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. The result of the fusion of the now-extinct Line B of the Nord-Sud Company and the old Line 14 of the CMP. Their creation was destined to be replaced by a north-south RER line before the reorganisation of the...
: Carrefour Pleyel
Carrefour Pleyel (Paris Métro)
Carrefour Pleyel is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro in the Saint-Denis plain in the commune of Saint-Denis. It was opened in 1952.The station opened on 30 June 1952 when the line was extended from Porte de Saint-Ouen. It was the northern terminus of the northern branch of the line until 26...
, Saint-Denis - Porte de Paris
Saint-Denis - Porte de Paris (Paris Métro)
Saint-Denis - Porte de Paris is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro in the commune of Saint-Denis. The station has a flat roof supported by beams. Its walls are decorated with white tiles used for advertising, especially for sports tournaments at the Stade de France.The station opened on 26 May...
, Basilique de Saint-Denis
Basilique de Saint-Denis (Paris Metro)
Basilique de Saint-Denis is a Paris Métro station on line 13 in the town centre of Saint-Denis, north of Paris. It connects with tram line 1 at two nearby stops at Basilique de Saint-Denis and Marché de Saint-Denis.-History:...
(in the center of town, near the Saint Denis Basilica
Saint Denis Basilica
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis is a large medieval abbey church in the commune of Saint-Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris. The abbey church was created a cathedral in 1966 and is the seat of the Bishop of Saint-Denis, Pascal Michel Ghislain Delannoy...
), and Saint-Denis – Université.
Saint-Denis is also served by La Plaine – Stade de France
La Plaine – Stade de France (Paris RER)
La Plaine – Stade de France is a station in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France served by the RER B. It is one of the two RER stations that serve the Stade de France, the other being Stade de France – Saint-Denis on RER Line D...
station on Paris RER line B
RER B
The RER B is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France.The line runs from the northern termini Aéroport Charles de Gaulle and Mitry-Claye to the southern termini Robinson and Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse ....
, which is the closest station to the Stade de France
Stade de France
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...
.
Finally, Saint-Denis is also served by two stations on Paris RER line D
RER D
The RER D is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France.The line officially runs from the northern terminus Orry-la-Ville – Coye to the southern terminuses Melun and Malesherbes...
: Stade de France – Saint-Denis
Stade de France – Saint-Denis (Paris RER)
Stade de France – Saint-Denis is a railway station serving Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris in Seine-Saint-Denis department, France. It is situated near the Stade de France, on the RER D suburban railway line. It is situated on the Paris–Lille railway....
and Saint-Denis
Gare de Saint-Denis
Gare de Saint-Denis is a railway station serving Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris in Seine-Saint-Denis department, France. It is situated on the lines from Paris-Nord to Pontoise, Beauvais and Creil....
. This last station, historically the only rail station in Saint-Denis before the arrivals of the Métro and the RER, serves also as an interchange station for the Transilien Paris – Nord
Transilien Paris – Nord
Transilien Paris – Nord is one of the sectors in the Paris Transilien suburban rail network. The trains on this sector depart from Gare du Nord in central Paris, as well as from Pontoise station in the suburbs. Transilien services from Paris – Nord are part of the SNCF Gare du Nord rail network...
suburban rail line.
Crime
Saint-Denis is infamous in France for its crime rate. It has 150.71 criminal incidents per 1000 inhabitants, far higher than national average (83 per 1000) and even higher than the crime rate of the Seine-Saint-DenisSeine-Saint-Denis
- Culture :A number of hip hop artists come from the Seine-Saint-Denis, including one of the first major hip-hop groups in France, NTM, as well as Lord Kossity, or more recent acts such as Tandem or Sefyu.- Miscellaneous topics :...
department (95.67 per 1000). Police efficiency has been reported as very low with only 19.82% of crimes solved by the police.
Personalities
- Jean-Christophe BahebeckJean-Christophe BahebeckJean-Christophe Bahebeck is a French football player who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He is described as a player who is "very fast with both feet" and is a good striker of the ball. Despite beginning his career as a striker, he plays primarily as a winger...
footballer - Paule BaudouinPaule BaudouinPaule Baudouin is a French handball player, playing for the Danish club Esbjerg and for the French national team. She was born in Saint Denis.She made her debut on the French national team in 2004...
handball player - Thievy BifoumaThievy BifoumaThievy Guivane Bifouma Koulossa , simply Thievy, is a French footballer who plays for RCD Espanyol in Spain, as a forward.-Club career:...
footballer - Pierre DegeyterPierre DegeyterPierre Chretien De Geyter was a Belgian socialist and a composer, known for writing the music of The Internationale.- Early life :De Geyter's parents, originally from the French Flanders, moved to Ghent to work in the textile...
, composer - Charles DezobryCharles DezobryLouis Charles Dezobry was a French historian and historical novelist, born at St-Denis.-Works:* Rome au siècle d'Auguste, ou Voyage d'un Gaulois à Rome à l'époque du règne d'Auguste et pendant une partie du règne de Tibère...
, author - Paul ÉluardPaul ÉluardPaul Éluard, born Eugène Émile Paul Grindel , was a French poet who was one of the founders of the surrealist movement.-Biography:...
, poet - Auguste Gillot, mayor
- Jean-Marc GravaJean-Marc GravaJean-Marc Grava is a French track and field athlete who specialises in the 110 meter hurdles. Grava competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics.-References:...
, athlete - Auriol GuillaumeAuriol GuillaumeAuriol Guillaume is a French professional football defender, currently a free agent.-External links:...
, footballer - Abdelaziz KamaraAbdelaziz KamaraAbdelhazzi Kamaradimo , is a French-born Mauritanian footballer who plays for Romanian Liga II club Farul Constanţa and for the Mauritanian national team. His primary position is as a left back in defence....
, footballer - Moussa KoitaMoussa KoitaMoussa Koïta is a French-Senegalese footballer, who is playing for Olympiakos Nicosia in the Marfin Laiki League.- Career :...
, footballer - Albert Lebourg, painter
- Loic Lumbilla footballer
- Rosere ManguelleRosere ManguelleRosere Manguelle is a French footballer who played 2 matches in Ligue 2 for club Chateauroux in the season of 2005-2006 .-References:...
, footballer - Claude MonetClaude MonetClaude Monet was a founder of French impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein-air landscape painting. . Retrieved 6 January 2007...
, painter - Louis-Gabriel Moreau, painter
- Rodrigue NordinRodrigue NordinRodrigue Nordin is a retired French sprinter who specialized in the 200 metres.He finished fifth at the 1998 European Championships. At the 1997 World Indoor Championships he won a bronze medal in 4 x 400 metres relay with teammates Pierre Marie Hilaire, Loïc Lerouge and Fred Mango.-Reference:...
, athlete - Francisque PoulbotFrancisque PoulbotFrancisque Poulbot was a French , draughtsman and illustrator.-Biography:...
, illustrator - Michael Raffaelli, painter
- Yannis SaliburYannis SaliburYanis Salibur is a French football player who currently plays for French club Boulogne-sur-Mer in Ligue 2.- Football career :...
, footballer - Kool ShenKool ShenBruno Lopes, alias Kool Shen is a French rapper, with Portuguese origins. He is also a break dancer and a graffiti artist. He is a co-founder of Suprême NTM and one of the major figures of French rap. He featured on Enhancer's album "Electrochoc" in the song "Hot"...
, rapper - Paul SignacPaul SignacPaul Signac was a French neo-impressionist painter who, working with Georges Seurat, helped develop the pointillist style.-Biography:Paul Victor Jules Signac was born in Paris on 11 November 1863...
, painter - William SolimanWilliam SolimanWilliam Soliman is a French basketball player who played 13 games for the French men's national basketball team in 2008 .-References:...
, basketball player - Joey StarrJoey StarrJoeystarr is a French rapper of Martinican origin, from Saint-Denis. He co-founded the famous French rap group Suprême NTM in 1989 along with Kool Shen....
, rapper - Brahim ThiamBrahim ThiamBrahim Thiam is a Malian football defender. He currently plays for Stade de Reims. Thiam is said to have a good midfield partnership with Stoke City F.C.'s Mamady Sidibe and Real Madrid C.F.'s Mahamadou Diarra when playing internationally. He joined Stade de Reims in January 2009.-External links:...
, footballer - Alassane ToureAlassane ToureAlassane Toure is a French footballer who played 13 matches for Ligue 1 club Lens in the period of 2009-2011 .-References:...
, footballer - Alioune ToureAlioune TouréAlioune Kissima Touré is a French professional footballer of Malian and Senegalese descent. He is an attacking midfielder but can play both as a forward and on the wing...
, footballer - Yannick Urbino, athlete
- Maurice UtrilloMaurice UtrilloMaurice Utrillo, , born Maurice Valadon, was a French painter who specialized in cityscapes. Born in the Montmartre quarter of Paris, France, Utrillo is one of the few famous painters of Montmartre who were born there....
, painter
Points of interest
- Musée Bouilhet-ChristofleMusée Bouilhet-ChristofleThe Musée Bouilhet-Christofle is a private museum located in the 8th arrondissement at 9, rue Royale, Paris, France. It is open weekday afternoons by appointment; an admission fee is charged...
- Basilica of St Denis
- Stade de FranceStade de FranceThe Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...
Twin cities
CórdobaCórdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Gera
Gera
Gera, the third-largest city in the German state of Thuringia , lies in east Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster, approximately 60 kilometres to the south of the city of Leipzig and 80 kilometres to the east of Erfurt...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Coatbridge
Coatbridge
Coatbridge is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. The town, with neighbouring Airdrie, is part of the Greater Glasgow urban area. The first settlement of the area stretches back to the Stone Age era...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Sesto San Giovanni
Sesto San Giovanni
Sesto San Giovanni is a comune in the Milan metropolitan area, located in the province of Milan and region of Lombardy in Italy. Its railway station is the northernmost stop on the Milan Metro M1 line. The city is informally referred to as "Sesto"...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Tuzla
Tuzla
Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...