The Sainte-Chapelle (Holy Chapel, in English) is a royal chapel located within the premises of the mediaeval Palais de la Cité. The Chapel is considered among the most successful achievements of Rayonnant-Gothic architecture.

The Sainte-Chapelle has recently started advising its visitors to reserve entrances in advance, so if you don’t get your ticket before arriving, aside from having to queue for a long time, you might not even be able to get in. You can reserve your spot and get your ticket here .

The Sainte-Chapelle also housed one of the most important relics in Mediaeval Christendom, the Passion relics. In fact, King Louis IX explicitly commissioned the chapel’s construction to house these relics, which cost him more than the building itself.

The Holy Chapel, contrary to what one might expect of such a building, is dived onto two levels. This structure reflects the functions King Lois IX intended for the Sainte-Chapelle. The upper level, also known as the Royal Chapel, was reserved for the King and his guests. Here he kept the precious relics. The lower level, equal in size to the upper, was used by the courtiers, servants, and soldiers of the Palais.

The difference in purposes and importance can still be clearly seen in the architecture. The upper chapel is decorated generously, with luxurious materials and impressive sophistication. Sculptures, golden arches, and rich colours make the Royal Chapel in the Sainte-Chapelle one of the most beautiful halls you’ll ever find yourself in. The fifteen stained glass windows narrate Biblical history from Genesis to Christ’s resurrection.

The lower chapel, instead, is rather discreet compared to the upper one. Nonetheless, it is still quite striking and manages to give the impression of slender lines even with its low vaults and polychrome decorations.

Ticket to Sainte Chapelle

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Location

Boulevard du Palais 10, Île de la Cité.

Tickets and price

The Sainte-Chapelle has recently started advising its visitors to reserve entrances in advance. You could still try to get your ticket on the day, but you’ll have to queue quite a bit and it’s not guaranteed you’ll find one. That’s why we recommend you reserve your spot and get your ticket in advance here .

The visit to the Sainte-Chapelle is included with the Paris Museum Pass. So, if you plan on visiting a decent amount of museums and monuments along with the Chapel, we highly recommend getting the Pass. It will give you free access to all the most important sights in the city. You can get yours here .

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Schedule

Transport

Nearby sights

Conciergerie - just next to the Sainte-Chapelle.

Latin Quarter - just across the bridge from the Sainte-Chapelle.

Notre Dame Cathedral - 450 m (almost 0.3 miles) east, 6-minute walk.

Musée Cluny - 700 m (0.4 miles) south, 10-minute walk.

Louvre Museum - 1 km (0.6 miles) northwest, 12-minute walk.