La Sainte Chapelle – A Stained-Glass Wonder on Île de la Cité

La Sainte Chapelle, a jewel of Gothic architecture, is in the middle of Paris, just steps from Notre Dame Cathedral, yet is hidden behind the massive Palace of Justice complex. From the street, only the tall piercing spiral of the church can be seen. Go to see the glorious stained-glass walls, the vaulted ceiling, and the miracle of medieval engineering. Try to visit La Sainte Chapelle on a sunny day when the deep, rich colors of the glass will be absolutely vibrant.

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A Miracle of Medieval Engineering

A Miracle of Medieval Engineering Classical music concert at La Sainte Chapelle

800 years before the glass pyramids of the Louvre were built, Gothic engineers and masons built these almost weightless walls of stained glass. It was the first of its kind. No one — not the Greeks, not the Romans, not the Byzantines — had done it before the French Gothic architects of the 13th century.

Although there is some debate, it's generally accepted that the chief architect of La Sainte Chapelle was Pierre de Montreuil (1200 – 1266). He's been immortalized in a statue on the facade of the Hotel de Ville. His idea was to push the boundaries of what the Romans knew about arches. Montreuil made his arch taller and with a point and added vaulting that put the weight of the roof onto a few columns. It's essentially a building of glass. His supporting stone frame is as strong as the frame of a modern steel glass building.

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Romantic Dinner Cruises In Paris

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic dinner cruise includes champagne, wine & a classic meal. Choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.
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Dinner Cruise by Maxim's of Paris
The legendary Parisian restaurant takes you on a dinner cruise complete with champagne and wine. Choose the 2-hour cruise for a stellar evening in Paris.
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VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic dinner cruise includes champagne, wine & a classic meal. Choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

Visiting Sainte Chapelle

La Sainte Chapelle, Wikimedia Commons, photo by GruntXIII Stained glass windows of La Sainte Chapelle, photo Wikimedia by GruntXIII

The chapel is one of the most popular churches in Paris and attracts about 900,000 visitors each year. The lucky ones are ticket holders for the classical music concerts held here. We highly recommend that you become one of them by booking a classical music concert. You'll be whisked inside and then watch spellbound as musicians play music by the masters. It also gives you time to admire the lightness and airiness of the church.

Explore La Sainte Chapelle & Île de la Cité

Explore Ile de la Cite Marvel at the magnificent stained glass at La Sainte Chapelle

The best and most informative way to visit La Sainte Chapelle — and marvel at its stained glass — is by joining this guided walking tour of Île de la Cité, the island in the Seine where the royal chapel is located, Walk in the footsteps of figures like Louis IX and the unfortunate Marie Antoinette. Visit La Sainte Chapelle, Notre Dame, and La Conciergerie, the prison where Marie spent her last days, and other important landmarks. It's not often that you learn so much while viewing so much historic and scenic beauty.

Classical Music at La Sainte-Chapelle

Classical Music at La Sainte-Chapelle La Sainte-Chapelle is visitors' favorite venue for classical music

In addition to its ethereal beauty, La Sainte Chapelle has excellent acoustics and has become our readers' favorite venue for classical music concerts in Paris. It's an amazing experience sitting in this Gothic masterpiece of a church and listening to classical music played by some of the best musicians in France.

There are concerts many evenings during much of the year — although things slow down in the winter months, since La Saint Chapelle is not heated. Here's the most reliable source for classical music tickets —

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The Highest-Rated Paris Activities

Cheese & Wine Tasting in a Paris Cellar
In the cheese-aging cellar of a Paris fromagerie you discover 7 classic French cheeses and the wines that pair with them. Lots of sampling!
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VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic, VIP dinner cruise is the #1 nighttime activity. Be sure to choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, the most champagne, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic, VIP dinner cruise is the #1 nighttime activity. Be sure to choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, the most champagne, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

The Story Behind La Sainte-Chapelle

La Sainte-Chapelle Saint Louis receives the relics

La Sainte-Chapelle, or The Holy Chapel, is on the island where Paris was founded, built in the former courtyard of the Royal Palace by Louis IX. Unlike many other Paris churches, it was completed in a relatively short period. Building started in 1240 and finished in 1248. Inside, the church appears weightless and airy, and is one of the most amazing examples of Gothic architecture anywhere. The stained glass walls are among the most magnificent in the world.

You might say it all started with the Fourth Crusade. One of the leaders of that crusade, a French nobleman named Baudouin, acquired what he believed was the crown of thorns, a sacred Christian relic. In one of those odd twists of history, Baudouin became Emperor of Constantinople and ended up using the relic as collateral for a loan from Venetian bankers, who were the major moneylenders of the day.

When he couldn't pay up, he appealed to the French king Louis IX (otherwise known as Saint Louis, like in the island). Louis paid off the debt and acquired the crown of thorns for himself. As Louis collected other alleged relics he realized he needed a suitable place to keep and display them, and La Sainte-Chapelle was therefore created.

It was, and still is, a marvel, with tall, thin walls filled with lacy stained glass. La Sainte-Chapelle sustained considerable damage during the French Revolution. The steeple was torn down and Louis IX's religious relics were removed. The church as we see it today is a faithful restoration completed in 1855.

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Experience the Splendor Of Versailles

Versailles with Priority Access + Gardens
Skip the long lines to experience the grandeur of Versailles on a guided tour. Stroll through the stunning gardens with your guide, then visit Marie Antoinette's estate.
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Half-Day, Skip-the-Line Tour of Versailles
If you don't have a full day, this popular half-day tour of Versailles includes priority access with an expert guide. The small-group ensures personal attention and includes transportation right from your hotel.
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Versailles with Priority Access + Gardens
Skip the long lines to experience the grandeur of Versailles on a guided tour. Stroll through the stunning gardens with your guide, then visit Marie Antoinette's estate.
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La Renovation 2008 – 2015

Already one of the most dazzling churches in Paris, La Sainte Chapelle was made even better during an extensive restoration. If you can imagine this, the entire 600 square metres (6,500 sq ft) of stained-glass windows and walls were meticulously disassembled, cleaned with lasers, then put back together again. Eight centuries of dirt, grime and pollution were removed during the seven-year project.

Another benefit of the renovation was that much of the connective lead that joins the windows were replaced with a new, almost invisible glue, making the glass even more pronounced. The meticulous renovation was finished just in time to celebrate the 800th anniversary of King Louis IX in 2015.

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Our Most Popular Day Trips from Paris

Spend a Day in the Champagne Region
Your driver gathers you from your Paris hotels for a small-group tour led by an expert guide to the Land of Champagne for a day-long tasting of the bubbly. Inclues lunch & tastings.
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Visit the Historic D-Day Beaches
A day trip to the landing beaches of Normandy is one of the most popular day trips from Paris. Visit the monuments, museums, and dedicated cemeteries, as well as the beaches themselves
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Visit the Historic D-Day Beaches
A guided tour to the landing beaches of Normandy makes for one of the most memorable day trips from Paris. Visit the monuments, museums, and dedicated cemeteries, as well as the beaches themselves.
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La Sainte Chapelle Information

To enter La Sainte Chapelle you must first pass security at the Palais de la Justice, then climb a spiral staircase before entering the magical kingdom created on order of French king Louis IX in the 13th century.

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