France · Paris

Sainte-Chapelle Up Close

A walk through Paris, one stop at a time.

11 stories · 22 min read

Start reading
  1. 1
    Visit Tips
    Sainte-Chapelle

    How to Buy Sainte-Chapelle Tickets

    You must buy your Sainte-Chapelle ticket online. Go to the official ticket site (https://tickets.monuments-nationaux.fr/…

    2 min read Full story
  2. 2
    Visit Tips
    Sainte-Chapelle

    Five Tips for Visiting Sainte-Chapelle

    1. Check the opening hours. Closing time changes with the season. From April 1 to September 30, Sainte-Chapelle opens at…

    2 min read Full story
  3. 3
    Architecture
    Sainte-Chapelle

    Why Is Sainte-Chapelle on the Île de la Cité?

    Sainte-Chapelle stands on the Île de la Cité, an island in the Seine. It sits right in the middle of Paris. In the 1st c…

    2 min read Full story
  4. 4
    Architecture
    Sainte-Chapelle

    The Exterior and Its Buttresses

    With its soaring spire and pointed carvings, the exterior of Sainte-Chapelle is classic Gothic: a visual expression of t…

    2 min read Full story
  5. 5
    Architecture
    Sainte-Chapelle

    The Lower Chapel: A Ceiling Like the Sky

    Step inside and the deep blue ceiling creates an elegant atmosphere. It symbolizes the sky and presents the chapel's int…

    2 min read Full story
  6. 6
    Architecture
    Sainte-Chapelle

    The Upper Chapel: A Room Wrapped in Light

    Nothing outside, and nothing on the narrow staircase, prepares you for what lies up here. The first thing you notice is…

    2 min read Full story
  7. 7
    Architecture
    Sainte-Chapelle

    The Reason for Its Existence: Relics and a Jewel Box of Light

    The altar ahead is the heart of Sainte-Chapelle and the reason it exists. It once held the Crown of Thorns that Jesus wo…

    2 min read Full story
  8. 8
    Architecture
    Sainte-Chapelle

    A Bible Written in Light: The Stained Glass

    These stained-glass windows hold no fewer than 1,113 scenes from the Bible, a Bible written in light. Starting with Gene…

    2 min read Full story
  9. 9
    Architecture
    Sainte-Chapelle

    The Beginning of the Bible: The Genesis Window

    The first window, next to the entrance, tells the story of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Read it from the bottom…

    2 min read Full story
  10. 10
    Architecture
    Sainte-Chapelle

    The Window Telling Louis IX's Story

    This is the most unusual window in the chapel, because it tells the story not of the Bible but of Louis IX. It traces th…

    2 min read Full story
  11. 11
    Architecture
    Sainte-Chapelle

    Light of Endings and Fulfillment: The West Rose Window

    While the stained glass around the chapel tells of the Bible's beginnings and long history, this huge rose window depict…

    2 min read Full story