The Basilica is a gem of French Gothic architecture and a source of inspiration for the cathedrals of Chartres, Senlis and Meaux. The necropolis of the Kings of France houses a collection – the only one of its kind in Europe – of recumbent figures and tombs dating from the 12C-16C, and constitutes a veritable museum of funerary sculpture. Napoleon reopened the church for worship in 1806. The Basilica was restored by Viollet-le-Duc after the ravages of the Revolution, and has a façade with a fine tower. One of France's most admirable monuments.