Although the Crown of Thorns is presently under the care of Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle was originally built to preserve this historic relic, along with a fragment of the True Cross. The chapel was built between 1242 and 1248 by Louis IX, commonly known as “Saint Louis.” His statue is prominently featured as you enter the chapel. He reigned for 43 years, from 1226 until his death in 1270, and was later canonized by the Church in 1297.
The chapel houses 15 bays of stained glass, each reaching 15 meters (49 feet) high, depicting the history of the Old and New Testaments up to the time of its construction. As you enter, the first bay depicts Genesis, followed by Exodus, Numbers, the Book of Joshua, the Book of Judges, the Book of Isaiah, Saint John the Evangelist and the childhood of Christ, and, at the center, the Passion of Christ. Continuing around the northern side, the panels depict Saint John the Baptist, the Book of Ezekiel, the Books of Jeremiah and Tobias, the Books of Judith and Job, the Book of Esther, the Book of Kings, and finally, the history of the relics of the Passion.
This is one of those places where I found myself wanting to stop and really look at everything. There is so much detail in the glass, and in the painting and sculptures that surround it, that it is difficult to take it all in at once.
During our visit, restoration work was being performed on the stained glass along the southern side of the chapel. Although it was originally reported that the fire at Notre Dame had not damaged Sainte-Chapelle, which is only about half a mile away, we were told that the heat from the fire had compromised some of the stained glass. To give visitors a sense of what the entire space looks like, a mirror had been erected to reflect the panels along the northern side. It was cleverly done, and it gave us an opportunity to see the effect of the missing windows. Still, I would love to return someday and see Sainte-Chapelle with all of its stained glass in place and experience its full grandeur.
Above the west entrance is the “Rose of the Apocalypse,” which is symbolically opposite the Passion of Christ. The exquisitely intricate rose window was rebuilt during the reign of Charles VIII in 1485. At its center, Christ returns in glory at the end of Time. You can also notice a difference in color between the rose window and the stained glass throughout the rest of the chapel, reflecting the availability of a new yellow pigment used in coloring the glass.
It is truly a beautiful place, even if you are not a person of faith. You can’t help but admire the architecture and the incredible beauty of the stained glass. But for me, there was also something about the atmosphere inside Sainte-Chapelle. After walking through the busy streets of Paris, stepping inside felt like entering another world. There was a sense of quiet and peace that made me want to slow down and simply take it all in.
