The Sainte-Chapelle is a royal chapel in the Gothic style, within the medieval Palais de la Cité, the residence of the Kings of France until the 14th century, on the Île de la Cité in the River Seine in the 1st arrondissement of Paris (France) near the Palais de Justice.
Construction began sometime after 1238 and the chapel was consecrated on 26 April 1248. The Sainte-Chapelle is considered among the highest achievements of the Rayonnant period of Gothic architecture. It was commissioned by King Louis IX of France to house his collection of Passion relics, including Christ’s Crown of Thorns – one of the most important relics in medieval Christendom. This was later held in the nearby Notre-Dame Cathedral until the 2019 fire, which it survived.
Along with the Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle is one of the earliest surviving buildings of the Capetian royal palace on the Île de la Cité. Although damaged during the French Revolution and restored in the 19th century, it has one of the most extensive 13th-century stained glass collections anywhere in the world.
The chapel is now operated as a museum by the French Centre of National Monuments, along with the nearby Conciergerie, the other remaining vestige of the original palace.
Address: 10 Bd du Palais, 75001 Paris, France.
Working Hours:
Thursday 9 AM–5 PM
Friday 9 AM–5 PM
Saturday 9 AM–5 PM
Sunday 9 AM–5 PM
Monday 9 AM–5 PM
Tuesday 9 AM–5 PM
Wednesday 9 AM–5 PM
Phone: +33 1 53 40 60 80
Opened: April 26, 1248
Architectural styles: Gothic architecture, French Gothic architecture
Status: Secularized since French Revolution.
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