Sainte-Chapelle

6 bd du Palais 1st. (Open Map)
(75)

Description

Sainte-Chapelle is Paris' oldest and finest Gothic monument with its dazzling 1242–48 stained glass. It is renowned for its stained-glass windows, holy relics, concerts and history. Built within the 13th-century Palais de Justice (Law Courts), the chapel was conceived by Louis IX to house his substantial personal collection of holy relics, most notably the Holy Crown, which he acquired from the emperors of Constantinople for a hefty sum. Roughly 70% of the 640 square meters of stained glass is original and tells stories of the Bible in 1113 scenes, which can be 'read' left to right, bottom to top. Upon completion in 1248, the chapel was consecrated and the Holy Crown, formerly safeguarded in the treasury at Notre Dame de Paris, was moved to a secure location in the Louvre to protect it from the devastating fire in April 2019.