The Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a former Benedictine abbey in Paris, founded in the mid-6th century by the Merovingian king Childebert I and the Bishop of Paris, Saint Germain. The abbey has had several names, including Saint Vincent and the Holy Cross.The first abbey church was consecrated on April 23, 558, to the Holy Cross and Saint Vincent of Saragossa. This basilica has marble columns, a wood-paneled ceiling, and glass windows.The abbey served as a royal necropolis until the creation of the Basilica of Saint-Denis.The relics of Saint Germain were venerated there, but no medieval tombs remain today, and the relics have diminished considerably. The church was rebuilt by Abbot Morard, beginning in the late 10th century.The current choir was built in the mid-12th century in the early Gothic style and consecrated by Pope Alexander III on April 21, 1163. It is one of the first Gothic buildings in France and in the world. This architecture contributed to the spread of this new style and is of the utmost importance from an archaeological point of view.