Tomb of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany

The Tomb of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany is a marble mausoleum with twelve arcades containing statues of apostles, topped by a level featuring the kneeling royal couple in prayer. Below this, realistic recumbent effigies display the monarchs in their post-mortem state, creating a two-level composition that contrasts living devotion with eternal rest.

Commissioned between 1516 and 1531, the monument was created following the deaths of King Louis XII and Anne of Brittany, who had been an influential queen in French history. Its construction coincided with France's embrace of Renaissance ideas from Italy, which shaped its artistic approach and symbolic meaning.

The carved representations of the four cardinal virtues on the monument's sides reveal how French royalty used art to communicate moral authority and divine right. These symbolic figures were meant to speak to visitors about the values that supported the kingdom's rule.

The monument is located within the Basilica of Saint-Denis alongside other royal tombs, allowing visitors to explore multiple burials from French history in one visit. Plan time to examine both levels carefully, as the upper and lower sections contain different sculptural details worth observing from various angles.

The base of the monument features carved reliefs depicting Louis XII's military victories in Italy, executed in the style of ancient Roman triumphal monuments. This unusual blend of warfare imagery with sacred tomb art shows how Renaissance sculptors expressed royal power through multiple visual narratives.

Inception: 1531

Architectural style: Renaissance

GPS coordinates: 48.93560,2.35970

Latest update: December 12, 2025 07:55