
Glittering stained glass. Intricately carved botanical capitals. A cedar spire towering over the heart of Paris. These features all make the Sainte-Chapelle, a royal Gothic chapel built nearly 800 years ago, spectacular in its own right and a perennial stopping point for tourists. Consecrated in 1248, this showcase of piety and power within the French sacral monarchy eventually evolved into a symbol of the artistry and beauty of France across Europe.