Sainte-Chapelle
A Gothic radiant-style chapel on the Île de la Cité, whose 15 stained-glass windows, each 15 meters tall, tell more than a thousand biblical scenes.
King Louis IX of France completed Sainte-Chapelle in 1248 to house relics, including the Crown of Thorns. The lower chapel is low and ornate. Climb a narrow spiral staircase to reach the upper chapel, where almost every surface is painted glass: 15 large windows with 1,113 panels in total, about two-thirds of which are original 13th-century work. When sunlight streams in, the room is filled with color. The chapel is inside the Palais de Justice, so security screening is required and queues can be long. Buying a timed-entry ticket online in advance (about €20) is recommended. Combined tickets with the nearby former prison (the Conciergerie) are available. The Paris Museum Pass is accepted. Metro Line 4, Cité station.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:00–19:00 (until 17:00 in winter)
Nearby sights
- Shakespeare and Company
- Notre-Dame de Paris
- Latin Quarter & Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection
- Panthéon
- Louvre Museum
- Luxembourg Gardens
- Musée d'Orsay