Gothic chapel of soaring stained glass
This Gothic chapel sits on Île de la Cité, tucked within the medieval Palais de la Justice complex. Louis IX built it in the 13th century to house Christ's Crown of Thorns and other relics acquired at staggering cost from the bankrupt Byzantine Empire.
The ground floor chapel is dim, low-ceilinged, and easily overlooked. Climb the narrow spiral staircase to the upper chapel and the space transforms completely. Fifteen stained glass windows soar 15 metres high, covering 600 square metres with biblical scenes rendered in medieval glass. You're standing inside a jewel box of coloured light.
The windows tell stories from Genesis to the Resurrection in 1,113 scenes. Bring binoculars if you want to follow the narratives in detail. Most people just stand and absorb the cumulative effect: blues, reds, and golds flooding the space depending on the sun's angle.
Security queues can stretch long in summer. Book timed entry tickets online or arrive when doors open at 9am.
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