Stained glass windows are an amazing medium of art that has endured for centuries. Traditionally created with religious themes, stained glass art often displays scenes from the bible and other historical periods. The earliest examples of stained glass remaining today are found in the churches and cathedrals that have stood throughout Europe for hundreds of years. In a time when glass was rare, hard to make, and extremely expensive; magnificent works of art were created in stained glass to adorn cathedrals that had taken decades, if not centuries, to complete.

Some of the most magnificent stained glass windows in existence from these older churches are those that hang in Paris’ La Sainte-Chapelle. This chapel was built in the mid-13th century by Louis IX at the heart of the royal residence, the Palais de la Cite. It was constructed to house the relics of the Passion of Christ, namely the crown of thorns and a piece of the True Cross. The king had paid handsomely for these relics, some three times what it would cost to build the chapel to house them. More relics were added as the years passed.

Framed by the most delicate of stonework, fifteen huge windows, covering nearly 6,500 square feet, fill the nave and apse and display scenes from the old and new testaments, as well as scenes showing the discovery of sacred the relics the chapel was built to house. When the chapel was ransacked and dismantled during the French Revolution, the relics were scattered, the furniture disappeared, and the spire was knocked down.

What sets these stained particular stained glass windows apart from the others all across Europe is that despite their age, dating from the 13th century, and the fact that the chapel was almost entirely destroyed in the 1800s, nearly two-thirds of the windows in the rebuilt structure are authentic to the original building.

Another window, crafted in the 15th century and subsequently added to the chapel, also survives. The windows were temporarily removed to keep them from damage during World War II and were painstakingly replaced after the war. For these windows to have survived for centuries and still be largely intact is amazing in itself.

La Sainte-Chapelle has been a national historic monument in France since 1862, and the colorful glass that is everywhere in this little chapel makes this jewel box structure arguably one of the most beautiful buildings standing today.

The chapel is designated a world heritage site and is open for tours year-round, with the exception of Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, The first of May, and during sub-zero temperatures. If you find yourself in Paris, the windows at La Sainte-Chapelle are an absolute must see.