Paris - Sainte-Chapelle

The Sainte-Chapelle ("Holy Chapel") was part of the Palais de la Cité, residence of the French Royals between 10th and 14th century. The chapel was built, to house Louis IX's vast collection of relics, including the Crown of Thorns, the Image of Edessa and the point of the "Holy Lance" - and many more prominent relics.

Begun around 1239 and consecrated on 26 April 1248, the Sainte-Chapelle is considered among the highest achievements of the Gothic architecture.

The Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie are the last remaining structures of the former Palais de la Cité. After the Royals moved out, the buildings were used for the kingdom´s administration. A blaze destroyed most of it in 1776. Between 1793 and 1795 the members of the Revolutionary Tribunal ("Tribunal révolutionnaire") met here. During this "Reign of Terror" about 2700 people were sentenced to death by the tribunal. Marie Antoinette, Georges Danton, Maximilien de Robespierre and many others were imprisoned here, waiting to ascend the scaffold.

Today this is the Palais de Justice (and there is still a prison!), so the security checks are time consuming and many tourists stand in line, to get in.

sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr