Sainte-Chapelle
The Sainte-Chapelle is the finest royal chapel to be built in France. The chapel is filled with 1,113 stained glass windows illustrating the Bible. Construction of the chapel began sometime after 1238 and it was consecrated on April 26, 1248. King Louis IX of France commissioned the chapel to house his collection of Passion relics, including Christ's Crown of Thorns – one of the most important relics in medieval Christendom. This was later held in the nearby Notre-Dame Cathedral until the 2019 fire, which it survived.
Along with the Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle is one of the earliest surviving buildings of the Capetian royal palace on the Île de la Cité. The Capetian dynasty was the ruling house of France from 987 to 1328. Although damaged during the French Revolution and restored in the 19th century, Sainte-Chapelle has one of the most extensive 13th-century stained glass collections anywhere in the world.
Sainte-Chapelle, created so long ago, inspires awe in the modern world. You can buy timed tickets here.
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