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Saint Chapelle
Written by Prianka on June 3, 2020 Share on

Saint-Chapelle in Paris: Experience the Royal Side

The Sainte-Chapelle in Paris is the most elegant royal chapel built and it features a truly outstanding collection of stained glass windows. It is made in the Gothic Rayonnant style and located in the centre of Paris. Today, it is a popular venue for classical music events showcasing the works of giants like Vivaldi, Bach, and Mozart. Sainte Chapelle concert tickets can be booked online.

Saint chapelle
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History of Sainte Chapelle

It is one of the historic longstanding surviving chapel built to store the artefacts of King Louis IX especially the Crown of thorns of the Christ. The development of the structure began around 1238, and then it was consecrated in 1248 on the 26th of April. Till the completion of the construction, the relics were saved at the Château de Vincennes Chapel. Also, a chapel was uniquely built at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye to store the antiques. The remnants of the True Cross and the Holy Lance were placed with other remains of the Louis collection in 1246.

History of Saint chapelle
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The Exterior of Sainte Chapelle

Gran Degres is at the right of the outside of the Royal Palace, which is a sophisticated ceremonial staircase, there is an eastern apse, and a north flank to it’s left. Some of the exuberant illustrations from the Rayonnant architecture are exhibited on the exterior of the Sainte Chappelle. Penetrating buttresses, which are topped by pinnacles, large windows that are separated by a bar tracery and crocketed gables placed around the roof are other few things that are showcased.

The Rich Interiors of Sainte Chapelle

The interior of the Sainte Chapelle is a Parisian Chapel, which was made to save antiques and is a massive remain in itself. While the tinted glasses predominate the interior segment, there is a dado arcade having Quatrefoils, which represents the scenes of victims and saints. They have painted the whole of the remaining wall though it doesn’t match the glow of the original. While fancy textiles are hanging at the ceiling, there are 12 Apostoles, mounted on the shafts above the dado level. These are stoned structures out of which six are duplicates. Each has a disk having the imprint of consecration crosses. There are private speeches of the king and his mother on the North and Southside niches. You will also find various famous Monuments in Paris.

interiors of saint chapelle
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Events at Sainte Chapelle

The windows depict a sequence of stories from holy catholic books described in an iconographic manner. The three windows on the eastern apse illustrate the New Testament, visual representation of the crucial scenes from the memoir of John the Evangelist, views of the Passion and the Infancy of Christ. But, the windows in the centre illustrate instances of royal kings and queens of the Old Testament.

While the cycle of events depicts events from the Book of Genesis starting from the western bay of the north wall, it finishing of it is with the excerpts from the Book of Kings in a clockwise manner. The last window depicts the latest scenes of kingship from the rediscovery of antiques of Christ to their arrival to Paris and wonders performed and they then go back to King Louis.

Are you excited to indulge in the magnificence of Saint Chapelle? Check out some of our Europe Travel Packages and customised Paris itineraries to get inspired. Book your vacation right away with Pickyourtrail.

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