Sainte Chapelle and Conciergerie - November 27, 08

Both Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie were in the same areas as the Palais de Justice. To get to them, you had to enter through a security screening with detector and all. This day I was wearing my vest which has buckles galore on it. I had to unzip my coat after going through, only to be smiled at because of all my buckles. lol.

Sainte Chapelle has been hailed as one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of the Western world. In the Middle Ages, the devout likened this church to "a gateway to heaven." Today no visitor can fail to be transported by the blaze of light created by the 15 magnificent stained glass windows, separated by the narrowest of columns that soar 50 feet to the star studded, vaulted roof. The windows portray over 1000 religious scenes in a kaleidoscope of red, gold, green, blue, and mauve. The chapel was built in 1248 by Louis IX to house Christ's purported Crown of Thorns and other relics.

Unfortunately, due to constructions, the Conciergerie was closed. I really wanted to visit it, mainly because this is the place the housed Marie Antoinette before her guillotine.

The Conciergerie was originally the residence of the Comte de Cierges (Count of the Candles), the palace superintendent in charge of taxes and lodgings. He became chief gaoler when the splendid Gothic halls were transformed into a Prison.

During the revolution is housed over 4000 prisoners including Marie Antoinette, who was held in a tiny cell until her execution, and Charlotte Corday, who stabbed Revolutionary leader Marat as he lay in his bath. Ironically, the Revolutionary judges Danton and Robespierre also became tenants before being sent to the guillotine.

Today at the Conciergerie, wine tastings and concerts are some of it's attractions.

Look how high the stained glass windows go. The entire room had stained glass windows all around it.

The rose window is to the left of the picture. The top of the picture you can make out the stars that are on the ceiling. The rose window has a religious story of the Apocalypse and is told in 86 panels of stained glass. The window was a gift from Charles VIII in 1485.

There wasn't enough room to back up and take a picture of Sainte-Chapelle. This was as much of the chapelle as I could get. The spire, which you can't see in this picture rises 245 feet into the air. Ut was erected in 1853 after three previous spires burned down. What you can see is the crown of Thorns.

Behind me is the Conciergerie building.

Another picture of the Conciergerie.