Not only has the church played a role in the history of France, it played a crucial role in the history of architecture. Scholars agree that Gothic architecture developed in the Ile de France and usually point to the Abbey of St. Denis as the starting point. Much of the credit belongs to Abbot Suger, a powerful and influential churchman, elected to the abbey church in 1122. Suger did not rebuild the entire church at once but began with the westwork with an addition of a structure two bays deep and three bays across. The three portals provide easy access to the church and mirror the internal structure of three aisles. Strong buttresses demarcate the facade.