Church

Sainte-Chapelle

Paris, France

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Sainte-Chapelle was built for Louis IX to house Passion relics, and its upper chapel turns walls into stained glass. Fifteen windows carry more than a thousand biblical scenes, making light part of its architectural and devotional meaning.

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In the upper chapel, the walls seem to dissolve into colored light. Sainte-Chapelle was built in the thirteenth century for Louis IX to house important Passion relics, including the Crown of Thorns.

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Quick facts

  • Louis IX built Sainte-Chapelle in the thirteenth century to house Passion relics.
  • The upper chapel has 15 stained-glass windows containing 1,113 scenes.
  • About two-thirds of the stained glass is medieval.

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