Everything To Know About The Sainte Chapelle Stained Glass Windows

Everything to Know About Sainte Chapelle Stained Glass

Sainte Chapelle was commissioned by the religious ruler, King Louis IX, about 800 years ago during the 13 Century. After having bought the Crown of Thorns and other important relics from Baldwin II Emperor of Constantinople, King Louis IX needed a place to store these collections. This led to the creation of Sainte Chapelle and the formation of its magnificent stained glass windows.

With a collection of 15 windows, Sainte Chapelle stands out for having the most extensive collection of stained glass. They narrate the story of the Bible, from Genesis until the Resurrection of Jesus with intricate depictions. To top it off, about 600 square meters of glass is also housed on the upper floor as well. Rumor has it that King Louis IX had to chip in 235,000 Livres to acquire the relics, but on the other hand, he only had to pay 40,000 Livres to build Sainte Chapelle.

You would also notice the rose stained glass windows which were installed much later in the 15th Century, comprising 82 petals that depict Saint John’s Book of Revelation. Back in the day, since a large section of the population was illiterate, the stained glass windows were rather a helping tool to educate the crowd who could not read the Bible.

After Sainte Chapelle was restored in the 19th Century, it went under a massive renovation later in  2008. With the help of new and advanced technology, the entire project was completed within a six-year spanafter a 10 million Euro investment, keeping the beauty of the stained glass windows alive to this day. Today, as you step into the chapel, you’ll notice that the ceiling opens up into the most brilliant display of light, showcasing the five prominent colors representing a life-like kaleidoscope.