November 2012 trip to Paris: La Sainte-Chapelle

On the Ile de la Cite near Notre-Dame sits one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world, the Gothic masterpiece La Sainte-Chapelle, completed in 1248 (and trashed and restored a few times since).

Like most Gothic churches in Europe, this one has lots of gargoyles to keep evil spirits away, but they have the opposite effect on tourists, though I don't really like them myself. The church sits in the courtyard of a former royal palace now called the Conciergerie, where lots of things, many of them extremely unfortunate, have happened through French history.

The ceiling of the smaller lower chapel.

The 13th-century stained glass of Sainte-Chapelle is stunning, unparalleled. Even with half of the church under renovation as it was during my visit, it was still breathtaking. The walls, such as they are, are pretty much just a delicate framework for the windows.

When the sun shines, it's beyond awesome.

The preacher gets to stand here, I guess.

Even the floors are breathtaking. Above and below, some of the tile. Wolves ...

... and deer.