Sainte-Chapelle

Sainte-Chapelle is a Gothic royal chapel within the medieval Palais de la Cité on Paris's Île de la Cité. King Louis IX commissioned it for his collection of Passion relics, including the claimed Crown of Thorns. Its upper chapel is defined by an exceptional ensemble of 13th-century stained glass, while the lower chapel originally served the palace's courtiers, servants, and soldiers.

Don't miss

• Fifteen tall windows in the upper chapel form one of the world's most extensive collections of 13th-century stained glass.
• The upper chapel was reserved for the royal family and guests, while the equal-sized lower level served the wider palace household.
• Nearly two-thirds of the stained glass is original, although some medieval panels were moved and lost glass was replaced.
• The building's two surviving palace companions are Sainte-Chapelle and the nearby Conciergerie.
• The glass includes a scene of Louis IX carrying the Passion relics into Paris.

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Sainte-Chapelle

Cheapest way inNotre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle & Conciergerie Walking Tour5★ · 19 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$5 per personSee dates →Most bookedVersailles Palace and Gardens Tour from Paris4.4★ · 4,231 travelers3-4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$74 per personSee dates →Private & flexiblePrivate Notre Dame Outdoor Tour with Crypt Entry/Sainte Chapelle4.9★ · 56 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$173 per personSee dates →

Getting there

Know before you go

• Look beyond individual scenes to the structure: hidden iron chains and metal reinforcement helped make walls of glass possible.
• The chapel's two levels expressed a social division: the royal household worshipped above, and palace staff and soldiers below.
• The surviving medieval glass is not confined to untouched windows; original panels were rearranged during later repairs and restoration.

A bit of history

Construction began after 1238, and the chapel was consecrated on 26 April 1248. Louis IX had bought the relics from Baldwin II, the Latin emperor at Constantinople; they reached Paris in 1239, and Louis carried them barefoot and dressed as a penitent during the final stage of their journey. During the French Revolution the chapel became a grain storehouse, exterior sculpture and royal emblems were smashed, and its spire was removed. A major restoration begun in 1840 continued for twenty-eight years.