Sainte-Chapelle

Sainte-Chapelle Review

Built by the obsessively pious Louis IX (1226-70), this Gothic jewel is home to the oldest stained-glass windows in Paris. The chapel was constructed over three years, at phenomenal expense, to house the king's collection of relics acquired from the impoverished emperor of Constantinople. These included Christ's Crown of Thorns, fragments of the Cross, and drops of Christ's blood—though even in Louis's time these were considered of questionable authenticity. Some of the relics have survived and can be seen in the treasury of Notre-Dame, but most were lost during the Revolution.

HIGHLIGHTS

The upper chapel is where the famed beauty of Sainte-Chapelle comes alive: 6,458 square feet of stained glass is delicately supported by painted stonework that seems to disappear in the colorful light streaming through the windows. Deep reds and blues dominate the background glass, noticeably different from later, lighter medieval styles such as those comprising Notre-Dame's rose windows. This chapel is essentially an enormous magic lantern illuminating the 1,130 figures from the Bible, to create—as one writer poetically put it—"the most marvelous colored and moving air ever held within four walls." You'll no doubt be transfixed by the stained glass in the upper chapel, but don't miss the detailed carvings on the columns and the statues of the apostles. The lowest section of the windows was restored in the mid-1800s, and a painstaking five-year renovation should be completed by 2013. The lower chapel is a bit gloomy and plain, but notice the low, vaulted ceiling decorated with fleurs-de-lis and cleverly arranged Ls for Louis. The dark spiral staircase near the entrance takes you upstairs.

Tips

To avoid waiting in killer lines, plan your visit for a weekday morning, the earlier the better, though be aware that sunset is the best time to see the rose window. Come on a sunny day to appreciate the full effect of the light streaming in through all that beautiful stained glass. You can buy a joint ticket with the Conciergerie; buy the ticket there, though, where the lines are shorter, though you'll still have to go through a longish metal detector line to get into Sainte-Chapelle. The chapel is especially magical during the regular concerts held here; call for the schedule. Free guided tours in English are offered most days at 2:30. Call ahead to confirm.