Sainte-Chapelle deserves no less attention than the famous Notre Dame de Paris. The Crown of Thorns of Christ the Savior was once kept within its walls. And today it hides many secrets and attracts visitors with the most beautiful stained glass windows in Paris. Tickets to Sainte-Chapelle can be booked at this link, and at the same time you can visit the nearby Museum and Palace of the Conciergerie.
Getting to Sainte Chapelle
Address
10 Boulevard du Palais, Paris, France
Official website: sainte-chapelle.fr
The nearest metro stations are Cite and Saint-Michel.
Working hours
From March to October the chapel is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
From November to February it is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets price is €11,50 (book skip-the-line tickets at this link)
Sainte Chapelle + the Conciergerie is €18,50 (book skip-the-line tickets here)
Kids up to 18 y.o. visit the chapel free of charge
Or you can just choose date in a calendar:
The chapel is located at 8 Boulevard du Palais on the territory of the Conciergerie castle and the Palace of Justice. The entrance to the chapel is on the left side of the main entrance to the palace. The nearest metro stations are Cite and Saint-Michel.
Sainte Chapelle attracts pilgrims and many ordinary tourists as the guardian of shrines and an amazing example of medieval architecture with beautiful stained glass windows. From May to September, there are always long queues to enter the chapel. It is located on the Ile de la Cité, not far from Notre Dame, and many tourists want to visit both sights at the same time. We highly recommend getting tickets in advance.
Also you can avoid queues with the help of a Paris Pass card.
» READ MORE – 10 best palaces and castles in Paris and its suburbs
What is the Sainte-Chapelle famous for?
The Sainte-Chapelle was built in the 13th century by order of King Louis IX. He received the nickname Saint for his reverent attitude to Christian relics. To store them properly, he ordered the construction of a special chapel on the territory of the royal palace of the Conciergerie. Its construction took 33 months and cost 40,000 lire. The finished chapel turned out to be so refined and majestic that the entire royal family chose it as their place for prayer.
» READ MORE – Basilica of Saint-Denis, the tomb of the French kings
The main architectural feature of the chapel is interesting for tourists, stained glass windows depicting scenes from the Bible, which occupy most of the wall area. You should come to the chapel on a bright sunny day to fully appreciate the beauty and grandeur of the stained glass windows. You can take binoculars with you, sit on a bench inside the chapel and take a look at each biblical story without rushing.
The Great French Revolution was merciless to the Sainte Chapelle. It was partially destroyed, and its famous stained-glass windows were also damaged. The relics kept in it were stolen. Later, the chapel was restored and included in the list of national historical monuments of France.
» READ MORE – What to see in Paris while Notre-Dame is under restoration
Tips for a successful visit
- The Sainte-Chapelle is located on the territory of the Palace of Justice, which is guarded by the police. Therefore, when visiting this place, you cannot carry items that can be considered by the police as edged weapons.
- You can visit the Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie at the same time. Actually, the kings lived in the palace, and they went to pray in Sainte-Chapelle. Thus, you will immediately become familiar with both the secular and ecclesiastical medieval architecture of Paris.
- During summer, the chapel hosts concerts of classical music, which sounds in its walls in a completely new way. Most likely, this won’t make you an ardent Catholic, but you will get pleasure that cannot be compared with anything.
Have a great trip!
CC0 Public domain 
GAIMARD / pixabay.com
Jean-Pierre Dalbera / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0
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