Is Sainte-Chapelle the best of all Parisian monuments?
It is hard to find any argument for it not being the best. It is, without doubt, beautiful. The incredible engineering feats achieved all those years ago puts modern achievements in the shade. It truly is a masterful piece of artwork.
It has history – tick. Dating to the 13th century is has hundreds of years of history. Meaning that it has stood the test of time.
It survived the revolution – tick. It somehow managed to survive though as a symbol of the church and monarchy it didn’t have much hope of doing so. But survive it did, thank goodness.
Beauty – tick. The stained glass on display creations a colourful display that will leave you breathless and speechless.
Peaceful – tick. It most definitely is accessible for an entrance fee. The crowds aren’t here. Why people ignore Sainte-Chapelle when visiting Paris is beyond me.
Are people really that blissfully unaware of its beauty and existence? Do religious buildings not appeal to the masses? Are people led to conform to what is cool or not cool by social media feeds? Is it hard to find? Possibly! But with all the technology at our fingertips there are no excuses. Perhaps they haven’t discovered Marks Meanderings and been inspired to visit.
Well, I hope that I have inspired you to visit this secretive and seductive reliquary. Stepping inside is a dazzling and awe – inspiring moment as the natural light radiates its way through the stained glass.
This is, in my eyes, Paris’s best monument. It’s nestling location in and around the palace of justice may hide it from view. The signs certainly point you in its direction, but it doesn’t stand out of the Parisian skyline like its neighbours – the famous Notre-Dame, the monumental Arc de Triomphe, the piercing Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Cœur which keeps a watch over the city.
