The tombs of
the last members of the French royal family of the Bourbons can be found in the crypt of
the Church of Kostanjevica. These nobles were exiled from France in the revolution of
1830. At first they found refuge in Edinburgh, Scotland; from there they went to Prague,
in the current Czech Republic. Finally they came to Gorica where they were received as the
guests of Count Coronini. When they died, they were buried here and for this reason
Kostanjevica is known as the "Little St. Denis".
IN THE CRYPT OF THE CHURCH ARE BURRIED:
Charles
X (1757 – 1836) became king of France in 1824. He was an
autocratic ruler whose actions did much to bring about the revolution in July 1830 when
the entire family had to leave the country. He died of cholera on November 6, 1936 in the
Coronini Palace, seventeen days after his arrival at Gorica. On November 11 he was buried
in the church of Kostanjevica.
In addition to this last French king, several other members of the Bourbon family found their final resting places in the church crypt.
Louis XIX (1775 – 1844), Duke of Angouleme, the oldest son of Charles X, died in Gorica in the palace of the Counts Strassoldo.
Marie Thérese Charlotte (1778 – 1851), Duchess of Angouleme, wife of Louis XIX, daughter of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette (daughter of Austrian Empress Maria Theresia).
Marie Thérese Beatrice Gaetana (1817 – 1886), Archduchess of Austria-Este, wife of Henri V. She had the crypt built so that the remains of the last Bourbons could all be gathered in this place.
Henri V (1820 – 1883), Count of Chambord, son of Charles Ferdinand and grandson of Charles X. He was the last member of the French Bourbons.
Louise Marie Thérese (1819 – 1864), Duchess of Parma, sister of Henri V. After the violent death of her husband Charles III, Duke of Parma, she was the regent for her underage son.
In a niche in front of the crypt can be found the remains of Louis Jean Casimir, Duke of Blacas, Marquis D'Aulps (1771 - 1839). As the Court Minister of Charles X, he accompanied him into exile. He obtained property in Šmaver (San Mauro, Italy) and in Kanal.