Sainte Chapelle

The Sainte-Chapelle, the palatine chapel in the courtyard of the royal palace on the Île de la Cité, was built to house precious relics: Christ's crown of thorns, the holy cross and other relics of Christ that had been in the possession of Louis IX.

The Sainte-Chapelle, is one of the oldest vestiges of the «Palais de la Cité» that used to stretch over the actual court house. The Sainte-Chapelle is runned by the «Centre des monuments nationaux» to which it was endowded following the decree of the 2nd April 2008. Each year, about 800,000 visitors from 40 different nationalities visit this Rayonnant Gothic style monument.