Sainte Chapelle

Sainte-Chapelle is a palatine chapel built in 1241-1248 at the request of King Saint-Louis. It is an emblematic building of the radiant Gothic. With the Conciergerie, it is one of the remains of the city's palace, which has extended to the site that houses the current courthouse. The Sainte-Chapelle was classified as a historical monument since 1862, a year before the completion of its restoration.

About this building

The work on this chapel began in 1246, which was to be a reliquary (to house the relics of the Holy Crown of Thorns).
It was consecrated in 1248.

In 1460 the spire a new spire was built, which was later destroyed in 1793 when the chapel started functioning as a civil building.
Between 1485-1495 the rose window on the western façade was put in place.

In the second half of the 19th century, the chapel underwent various restorations. Three architects succeeded each other at the head of the site: Félix Duban (from 1836 to 1848), Jean-Baptiste Lassus (from 1848 to 1857) and Emile Boeswillwald. Viollet-le-Duc sometimes strengthened the group, but he never took the lead in restorations.

The remains of the south staircase were first destroyed (1849) and then an arrow was replaced (1853). In 1857, the interior decoration was almost entirely completed.

Key Features

  • Architecture
  • Stained glass
  • Monuments
  • Interior features
  • Atmosphere / quiet space
  • Social heritage
  • Links to national heritage
  • Famous people or stories

Visitors information

  • Bus stop within 100m
  • Parking within 250m

Other nearby buildings

Wikimedia Commons/Pierre Poschadel

Church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre

The church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre is a medieval church built in the 12th century on the site of a primitive basilica destroyed by the Vikings. The priory to which the church was attached has long been prosperous, and the church has even hosted courses from the University of Paris. In the 17th century, the priory fell into decay and the church fell into disrepair. In the middle of the 17th century, the church and priory were given to the Hôtel-Dieu de Paris, which turned the church into a chapel. The French Revolution led to its transformation into a warehouse, a situation that lasted until 1826. Then Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre became a hospital chapel again until 1873. Since 1888, the Greek-Catholic Melkite community made the church its parish church. It remains the centre of the life of the Greek-Catholic Melkite parish in Paris.

Wikimedia Commons/Benchaum

Église Saint-Séverin

The church of St. Severin has been a parish church since the 9th century. The Gothic building dates mainly from the 15th century when the church had to be rebuilt after the previous one burnt down. However, the bell tower, the three western bays and parts of the façade have been preserved from the 13th-century building. The ambulatory, which is doubled in size due to the five naves, is considered to be the most architecturally valuable part of the church, while the modern stained glass windows are certainly one of the church's attractions.

Notre Dame de Paris

Notre Dame is one of the most eminent churches in the world, and the symbol of the city of Paris. It has become the theatre to some of the most notorious novels in literature, celebrated by writers and artists including Victor Hugo. The cathedral was built by the meanderings of the river Seine- in the Île de la Cité- in the early days of the gothic era. Although the monument is a great example of early gothic style, the influence of the Romanesque school is still visible. In 2019, the church was badly damaged by a fire.