Louis IX built Sainte-Chapelle in the 1240s specifically to house what he believed was Christ's Crown of Thorns, purchased at enormous expense from Constantinople. The result is fifteen soaring stained-glass windows that turn the upper chapel into a kaleidoscope on a sunny afternoon — 1,113 biblical scenes told in colored glass, held up by walls that are barely there.
- Go on a clear, sunny day — the windows are the entire point, and gray skies mute the effect
- The lower chapel, for servants, is dark and plain — climb the spiral stairs for the real show
- It shares a courtyard with the Palais de Justice, so expect airport-style security at the entrance
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (Apr–Sep until 19:00), closed some holidays
- Price
- €13, combined ticket with the Conciergerie €19
- Tip
- Book a timed slot online — the security line alone can eat an hour without one.
Nearby
- N Notre-Dame Cathedral · cathedral
- C Conciergerie · monument
- Î Île de la Cité · island