Sainte-Chapelle
Snapshot
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Prices & Opening Times
Prices
Adult: €11,50
Under 18 years old: Free
Combined ticket
Sainte-Chapelle/Conciergerie : 18,50 €
Tickets Cancelation Policy
Official website: non-refundable
Affiliated partner: free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance. Buy ticket here for the same price
Opening times
The museum is open…
Every day from 9 am to 5 pm
(1st October – 31th March)
Every day from 9 am to 7 pm
(1st April – 30th September)
Closed on…
1st May, 25th December and 1st January
Last admission 40 minutes before closing.
Highlights & Photos
Key Dates
1242: Construction started
1248: Construction completed and the church
1789: Damaged during the French Revolution
1853: Actual spire was erected
Highlights
- Stained glass windows as a all
- The windows of the Passion of Christ
- The beast with seven heads in the rose window
Photos
How to get there
Location
10, boulevard du Palais
Transports
Metro: Cité (line 4) or Châtelet (lines 1, 7, 11 & 14)
Rer: Saint-Michel (lines B & C)
Bus: 21, 24, 27, 38, 58, 81, 85, 96 & Balabus
Vélib‘: Marché aux Fleurs
Car park: Boulevard du Palais
Tickets availability
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Eat & Drink nearby
Brasserie Les Deux Palais
Location: 3 Bd du Palais, 75004 Paris
Phone: +33 (0) 1 43 54 20 86
Across the street from the exit
Lunch, light meals, snacks
We may earn a commission from affiliate links
To go to the Saint-Chapelle in Paris, you can take any of the following modes of transportation:
- Métro 4: Get on the metro at your starting location and head towards the station “Cité”. Once you arrive at the station, take the exit that leads you to the Saint-Chapelle.
- RER B or RER C: Take the RER B or RER C to the station “Saint-Michel”. From there, it’s a short walk to the Saint-Chapelle.
- Métro 1, 7, 11, 14: Take any of these metro lines to the station “Châtelet”. From there, it’s a short walk to the Saint-Chapelle.
- Bus: You can take any of the bus lines 21, 24, 27, 38, 58, 81, 85, 96, or the Balabus, to a nearby stop. Check the bus map or ask the bus driver for the closest stop to the Sainte-Chapelle.
- Vélib’: If you prefer to bike, you can rent a bike from one of the nearby Vélib’ stations. Look for a station close to your starting location and head towards the Sainte-Chapelle.
When it comes to historical sites in Paris, the Sainte-Chapelle is often overlooked in favor of more well-known landmarks such as Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower.
However, this stunning medieval masterpiece is a true hidden gem that should not be missed.
Plan your visit to this Paris’ most exquisite Gothic monument on a sunny day to best appreciate its incredible stained-glass windows.
- Was intended to house a collection of holy relics, acquired in 1239 from the emperors of Constantinople by Louis IX (later canonized as St Louis)
- Relics Included the Christ’s crown of thorns and a fragment of the True Cross
- The relics were more expensive than the construction of the chapel
- The relics resided in treasury at Notre-Dame until the fire in April 2019. They were rescued and transferred to the Louvre
- Constructed between 1242 and 1248
- Was built in the courtyard of the royal palace on the Île de la Cité
- Damaged during the 1789 Revolution
- Restored in the mid-nineteenth century
At the Sainte-Chapelle, you can enjoy the following:
- The Upper Chapel
- The Lower Chapel
- Concerts in the Sainte-Chapelle
- Access to the is made by a narrow spiral staircase near the entrance.
- reserved for the use of the king and the royal family
- Stained glass panes with deep reds and blues depict 1,113 scenes from the Old and New Testaments
- The scenes start in the lower left panel and follow each row left to right, from bottom to top
- 600 m2 (6,458 sq ft) of stained-glass windows are arranged in 15 windows 15.5m high in the nave and 13.5m in the apse
- The actual spire was erected in 1853 and rises 75 m (245 ft) into the air.
- The rose window depicts the story of the Apocalypse
- Meant for the servants of the king
- Ceiling painted in blue and red and gold and covered with fleur-de-lis
- Dedicated to the Virgin Mary
After admiring the dazzling stained glass windows of the Sainte-Chapelle, don’t miss the nearby attractions:
- Louvre Museum (10 min walk):
- The Pont Neuf (5 min walk):
- Cruise on Bateaux Parisiens from Quai de Montebello (5 min walk):
- Notre Dame Cathedral (5 min walk):
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés (15 min walk): This historic neighbourhood is home to many designer boutiques and independent shops selling everything from fashion and accessories to art and antiques.
1239: Louis IX purchased holy relics from the Emperor of Constantinople.
1242: Construction started
1248: Construction completed and the church is consecrated and used as a royal palace chapel.
1297: Louis IX is canonized
1485: The Flamboyant rose window offered as a gift
1789: Damaged during the French Revolution
Reconstruction of its stained glass windows.
1853: Actual spire was erected
2007: Major restoration financed by the Danish Velux Foundation
Fri 17 Mar 2023, 18:00 (€59)
Sat 18 Mar 2023, 18:00 (€69)
Sun 19 Mar 2023, 18:00 (€69)
Fri 24 Mar 2023, 18:00 (€69)
Sat 25 Mar 2023, 18:00 (€69)
Sun 26 Mar 2023, 18:00 (€69)
Tips & Tricks to visit
- You need to visit while there is some daylight to observe the stained glass.
- You may bring a pair of opera glasses with you to see the stained glass details
- As alternative download the Saint-Chapelle app (“Sainte-Chapelle windows”) and point your phone camera to any panel. The app will show you a zoomed-in version of that particular panel
Experience more in Paris
Frequently Asked Questions
about the Sainte-Chapelle
Sainte-Chapelle is a Gothic-style chapel built by King Louis IX of France in the 13th century to house precious Christian relics, including Christ’s crown of thorns.
Sainte-Chapelle is located on the Île de la Cité, an island in the Seine river in Paris. Its address is 10 Boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris
Sainte-Chapelle is open every day from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm (1st April – 30th September) or from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm (1st October – 31th March). It’s closed on the 1st January, 1st May and 25th December.
The admission fee for Sainte-Chapelle is 11,50 euros for adults and free for children under 18 years old. You can also buy a combined ticket with the Conciergerie for 18,50 euros.
The main attraction of Sainte-Chapelle is its stunning stained glass windows, which cover more than two-thirds of its walls and depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The windows are considered among the finest examples of medieval art. The chapel also has a richly decorated vaulted ceiling, a carved wooden screen and a relic chamber.
You can get to Sainte-Chapelle by metro (line 4, station Cité), by bus (lines 21, 24, 27, 38, 58, 81, 85, 96 and Balabus), by RER (line B and C, station Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame) or by bike (Vélib’ stations nearby).
The average visit time for Sainte-Chapelle is about 45 minutes. You may need more time if you want to admire the stained glass windows in detail or visit the relic chamber.
Yes, there is a security check at the entrance of Sainte-Chapelle. You may have to wait up to 30 minutes on very busy days. For your safety, some items are prohibited inside the chapel, such as knives, scissors, glass bottles or large bags. You can find a list of prohibited items on the official website