Begun some time after 1238 and consecrated on 26 April 1248, the Sainte-Chapelle is considered among the highest achievements of the Rayonnant period of Gothic architecture. It was commissioned by King Louis IX of France to house his collection of Passion relics, including Christ’s Crown of Thorns—one of the most important relics in medieval Christendom.
There is no way to prepare yourself for walking up the steps inside of Sainte-Chapelle. This is by far the most beautiful church we went into during our trip and one of the most impressive buildings overall. The pictures here don’t do the space justice. There is no way to capture the details and the color that the stained glass windows create in the space.
The iconography is the windows is amazing with the first window representing Genesis, second Exodus, third Numbers, fourth Deuteronomy/Joshua, fifth Judges, sixth Isaiah, seventh St. John/childhood of Christ, eighth Christ’s Passion, ninth John the Baptist/Daniel, tenth Ezekiel, eleventh Jeremiah/Tobias, twelfth Judith/Job, thirteenth Esther, fourteenth Kings, fifteenth the relics of the Passion and the rose window is St. John’s vision of the Apocalypse.
Add Sainte-Chapelle as a must see when you are in Paris.
