Sainte Chapelle

Price guide: Mid-range

4 bouldevard du Palais, Paris, 75001

Price guide: Mid-range

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Sainte Chapelle
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By Natasha Edwards, your Paris expert

I write for Conde Nast Traveller, Elle .... Read more
#11 of 30
expert-rated things to do in Paris
Expert overall rating:4.6 out of 5
Value for money:
4
4.0
Recommended for:
Culture vultures, First-time travellers, Mature travellers, Seasoned travellers, Education, History, Romance, Sightseeing

Expert review of Sainte Chapelle

Last updated 28 January 2011

A jewel of High Gothic architecture with fabulous stained glass.

Built by Louis IX or Saint Louis in just six years between 1242 and 1248 to house the Crown of Thorns and other holy relics he had acquired on crusade, the double decker Sainte Chapelle is an intimate special place, all the more so in that you cannot see it from the street but it is hidden within the Palais de Justice law courts complex. The lower chapel is dark and atmospheric with star-painted vaulting and an ancient mural of the Annunciation. In contrast, the upper chapel, once reserved for the royal family, is tall and dappled in colour from its richly coloured stained glass windows, with minuscule figures depicting 1113 scenes from the Old Testament and the Crucifixion.

Price advice: 

8 euros; free all under 18s, EU nationals under 26.

Expert tips: 
As the chapel is inside the Palais de Justice complex be prepared for security checks and queues and bring ID.
Try to come on a sunny day to see the stained glass at its best.
You can buy a ticket twinned with the Conciergerie just up the street – a remnant of the medieval palace with two massive vaulted Gothic halls and later a prison during the Revolution.
There are classical concerts most evenings between mid-March and mid-November. Buy tickets on the day at the chapel (10am-5pm) or on 01 44 07 12 38.

More information on Sainte Chapelle:

Price guide:
Mid-range
Type:
Architectural site, Landmark / monument, Religious site
Address:
4 bouldevard du Palais, Paris, 75001
Telephone:
01 53 40 60 80
Website:
http://sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr
Months open:
All year round
Opening times:
Mar-June, Sept-Oct daily 9.30am-1pm, 2.15-6pm; July & Aug daily 9.30am-6pm; Nov-Feb daily 9am-1pm, 2.15-5pm; sometimes closed in very cold weather.
Indoor/outdoor?:
Indoor
Free tags / Keywords:
Art, History, Rainy days

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