The Sainte Chapelle in numbers and history
Like all old monuments, the Sainte Chapelle knows that anything is possible. Since Saint Louis commissioned its creation in 1241, and it was completed just 7 years later, the Sainte Chapelle has seen many good times and many bad. Witness to the prayers and family celebrations of the kings of the Middle Ages, it has also been burnt down several times, flooded and destroyed by vandals during the French Revolution, but it's still there, linking over the centuries the craftsmen of the Middle Ages and those of the 19th century, who have followed in the footsteps of their predecessors to preserve a unique and magnificent style.
The Sainte Chapelle in figures
The Sainte Chapelle is 670 M2 of stained glass. Photo chosen by Monsieurdefrance.com: depositphotos.com
It's important to talk numbers, because they reflect the architectural prowess of this monument, which will be 800 years old in a few years' time. It is made up of 15 stained-glass windows. They are 15 meters high in the nave and 13 meters high in the choir. There are 1113 scenes from the Old and New Testaments, representing a total of 670 m2 of stained glass, excluding the 13th-century rose window depicting the Apocalypse. The lower chapel is adorned with numerous colonnettes crowned by 140 capitals, often featuring sculptures of flora or fauna (grapes, birds...). Although it doesn't look quite as tall, because Notre Dae is so close, the spire is 75 metres high .
With over 1,000,000 visitors a year, the Sainte Chapelle is the 15th most visited monument in Paris .
A brief history
In 1239, Saint Louis (1226 - 1270) acquired the most renowned relics of the Chrétiente. These included: the Holy Crown, which had been placed on Christ's head by the soldiers at the time of the scourging, several pieces of the True Cross (the one on which Christ was nailed), the Holy Blood, the Holy Sponge (used to offer Christ a little vinegar to drink) and the Holy Lance. The sum paid by the king is literally astronomical, representing half his annual income. He received the relics, which had arrived from Constantinople via Venice, in Sens Cathedral and brought them to Paris, where they were housed in the small Saint Nicolas chapel. To house this spiritual treasure, Saint Louis decided to build a chapel in his palace on the Ile de la Cité, which took an incredible 7 years to complete. It was opened in 1248. Shaped like a reliquary, it housed a huge silver and gilded copper reliquary (melted down during the Revolution). The king entered from the ground floor, where he could pray in peace, while the public entered from above and from a distance. It is a palatine chapel, the personal chapel of the king, his family and palace staff. The priests report directly to Rome, not to the bishop of Paris. In the Middle Ages, royal weddings and baptisms were celebrated here. Then the kings left the Palais de la Cité (for the Louvre, then Versailles) and the Sainte Chapelle became "just" the chapel of the Palais de la Cité, now the Palais de Justice .
Saint Louis received the relics in Sens before depositing them 9 years later in the brand-new Sainte Chapelle. Illustration chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: british Library via wikipedia.
After several fires, the Sainte Chapelle was renovated several times, and its spire was rebuilt 4 times in its history. For a long time, it was renowned for the quality of the music played during services, and boasted a magnificent organ built in the 17th century by the famous Marc Antoine CHARPENTIER (1643 - 1704). In the 18th century, the church fell somewhat into oblivion, although it did fill up with faithful on Good Friday, when the relics of Christ's Passion were presented. Having become a simple parish church, it was abandoned in 1791. The relics were dispersed (some never to be found), while the pieces of the Cross and the Crown of Thorns were handed over to Notre Dame de Paris, where they have remained ever since, except during the renovation of Notre Dame after the fire of 2019. In 1791, a long agony began. The 12 statues of the 12 apostles were mutilated and scattered. The spire was destroyed and the church became the headquarters of a revolutionary club, before becoming an archive for the Palace of Justice.
The interior of the Sainte Chapelle. Image by ian kelsall from Pixabay
It was the 19th century that saved the Sainte Chapelle. With plans to demolish it in order to build a brand-new courthouse, a few people rallied round and, thanks to the success of Victor Hugo's "Notre de Paris" and the rediscovery of the Middle Ages and the Gothic style, the Sainte Chapelle (which is mentioned in Victor Hugo's book) was saved in 1836. The craftsmen and architects of the time maintained a certain modesty, attempting to restore rather than imagine, as Viollet le Duc would later do for Notre Dame. Painted decor, of which only a few traces remained, was restored, stained-glass windows were recreated (with the exception of a few, including the Rosace, which dates back to the 16th century), and statues were redone. The portal was also rebuilt, inspired by old drawings of the Sainte Chapelle. A new spire rises 75 meters from the ground. The monument was saved. It has survived to the present day, cared for by the Centre des Musée Nationaux.
The exterior of the Sainte Chapelle. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: scrisman via depositphotos.
How to get to the Sainte Chapelle
The former reliquary of the Sainte chapelle. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Stephanie LeBlanc on Unsplash
By car or on foot:
Address: 10 Boulevard du Palais, 75 001 PARIS.
Parking: Parking Harlay Pont Neuf (quai des orfèvres) or Parking Indigo Lutèce-Cité (1 rue Lépine).
By metro :
Cité station (line 4). Cluny - La Sorbonne (line 10) and Châtelet (lines 1, 7, 11 and 14) stations are less than 15 minutes' walk away.
In R.E.R
Station Saint Michel / Notre Dame line C.
By Bus
bus: routes 21, 24, 27, 38, 58, 81, 85, 96
Timetables
The Sainte Chapelle is open daily from 9am to 5pm (7pm from April to September). It is closed on May 1st, December 25th and January 1st. Visits last 1 hour.
Price list
In 2023, admission will cost 11.50 euros. Admission is free for under-18s. A visit to the Conciergerie is also possible. All prices are available here (go to this site, which is the official one).
The website
The Sainte Chapelle is managed by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux.
