Placed in the Cité island, the Sainte-Chapelle is the finest Gothic chapel in Paris, and one of the most fascinating monuments in all of France. Both its history as well as its architecture, in which its stunning stained glass stands out, make it a must-see in the French capital, and one of the most brilliant jewels of Rayonnant Gothic art.

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History of the Sainte-Chapelle

Let us now go over the interesting history of the Sainte-Chapelle and how its building unfolded during the 1200s.

Building and foundation

The foundation of the Sainte-Chapelle dates back to 1241, when the king of France, Louis IX, had it erected to shelter the relics of the martyrdom of Christ.

The Crown of Thorns, the Mandylion or Image of Edessa –resembling the Holy Shroud–, and other relics pertaining to the Passion, which had hitherto belonged to Baldwin II of Constantinople, had arrived in Paris two years earlier. Louis IX himself entered Paris with the relics, barefoot and dressed as a penitent, and he temporarily placed them in the chapel at his palace, in an extremely costly silver chest. Later on, in 1246, he also acquired the Spear of Longinus and a piece of the cross, which he added to the collection.

When the Sainte-Chapelle was finally built in 1248, the holy relics were placed therein to be worshipped by the kings and their closest ones.

Use throughout the centuries

The Sainte-Chapelle was therefore conceived as an extensive and lavish jewellery box holding the relics of the Passion of the Christ, which Louis IX had brought from Constantinople. Both the ownership of the relics and the mere fact of erecting such a luxurious building, which was also reminiscent of Charlemagne’s Palatine Chapel, bestowed an enormous international reputation upon the king.

Besides this, the historical use of the Sainte-Chapelle was linked with its function as a royal chapel, since it was erected next to the palace. Split into two levels, as it was usual in those times, the lower one was devoted to the lesser nobility and the servants, whereas the upper one, which could only be accessed from the inside of the very palace, belonged to the royal family and the great nobility.

With the advent of the French Revolution in 1789, the Sainte-Chapelle, being such a symbol of royalty and the church, became a target soon enough. The sculptures and royal emblems in its façades were destroyed, and its indoors were turned into a grain warehouse, which caused some of the stained glass to be lost forever. As for the relics, many of them ended up scattered across Europe –except for a few, which are still kept in Notre Dame–, and the silver chest of Louis IX was smelted for the metal to be sold.

Later on, in the 1800s, the Sainte-Chapelle would be repurposed as an archive for the neighbouring Palais de Justice, and it was restored at last during the reign of king Louis Philippe.

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Architecture of the Sainte-Chapelle

The Gothic architecture of the Sainte-Chapelle is among the most beautiful of its time and style, and the peak of Gothic art in Paris, its stained glass being its most noteworthy feature. Let us now analyse its design and structure!

Architectural design and structure

The architectural design of the Sainte-Chapelle is part of a broader style known as Rayonnant Gothic. Inspired, as mentioned before, by ancient chapels such as Charlemagne’s Palatine Chapel, the Sainte-Chapelle was destined to showcase the political power and cultural ambitions of Louis IX of France.

The structure of Sainte-Chapelle is split into two levels: a ground floor devoted to Mary and destined for common courtesans, the soldiers protecting the palace, and the servants; and an upper floor reserved for the royalty and their closest ones, where the relics were also kept.

The stained glass of the Sainte-Chapelle

The Gothic stained glass of the Sainte-Chapelle is undoubtedly its greatest allure, and it is regarded as the finest in the world in its architectural style.

It consists of fifteen sprawling glass panes dating back to the mid-1200s, which reduce the existing surface of the wall to a delicate structure designed to merely hold these imposing works of art that bathe the chapel in blue and red hues, making for a magical ambience.

The iconographic program of the Sainte-Chapelle stained glass depicts, in its eastern apse, scenes from the Passion of the Christ, as well as his childhood and the life of John the Evangelist. The nave, on the contrary, describes excerpts from the Old Testament.

And finally, the stained glass in the south wall portrays propaganda pictures heralding the discovery of the relics and their relocation in Paris thanks to Louis IX.

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Art and relics in the Sainte-Chapelle

The Sainte-Chapelle was erected as a huge reliquary to hold the treasures that Louis IX had acquired in Constantinople, and to showcase the power of Parisian religious art.

The Crown of Thorns and other relics

The relics that Louis IX purchased from Baldwin II of Constantinople to keep in the Sainte-Chapelle comprised, among others, the Spear of Longinus, pieces of the cross, the Image of Edessa, and the most important and most worshipped one of them all, Christ’s Crown of Thorns.

According to the New Testament, Christ had worn the Crown of Thorns during all of the events leading up to his crucifixion, so it bore witness to the Passion. Worshipped ever since the 400s, it originally rested in Jerusalem until, at some point in the Middle Ages, it was transferred to Constantinople, from whose rulers it was purchased by Louis IX of France in 1238.

Further art treasures

The art and importance of the Sainte-Chapelle are not limited to the history of the relics or its spellbinding and colourful stained glass.

The treasure of the Sainte-Chapelle also includes its façade sculptures (which were accurately restored in the 1800s) and the ones indoors, which originally date back to the 1200s.

Additionally, using the remnants of mediaeval polychromos, which still remained in the building during its first overhaul, the entire chapel was painted again just like it would have been during the Middle Ages.

A wonder you can’t miss out on!

Frequently Asked Questions about the Sainte-Chapelle