1. Sainte Chapelle

2. January 1246 - April 1248 Ordered by King Louis IX to elevate the Kingdom of France to be the leader of Western Christianity and to house relics of the passion. No architect is accredited to the planning of the chapel, but Pierre de Montreuil is accredited to the planning of the chapel. Starting point

3. Ile de la Cité in the heart of Paris. Constructed as a chapel for the royal palace, but now only the Palais de Justice exist. Sainte Chappelleconsists of two levels. 139 ft. high Setting

4. Lower level The vaulted ceiling is painted to resemble star-filled heavens, and the floor contains 34 tombstones of treasurers and reverends.

5. Upper Level Here is where the Crown of Thorns and a fragment of the True Cross were stored. King Louis IX purchased the Crown of Thorns for 135,000 livres (one livre = one pound of silver) from the emperor of Constantinople. The whole chapel only cost 40,000 livres.

6. Restorations The Sainte Chapelle has been restored on several occasions. It was damaged by fire in 1630 and in 1776. Suffered a flood when the Seine burst its banks in 1690 and experienced vandalizing during the French revolution.

7. The building was classified as an Historic National Monument in 1862 and now serves as a museum. General cost €8 adults ($11) ; €5 ages 18-25 ($7); free 17 and under

8. Sources Paris Court of Appeals web site. Centre des Monuments Nationaux web site Sainte-Chapelle seen from Palais de Justice gate, © 1968-2003 Ian C. Mills, webmaster of DiscoverFrance.net — All Rights Reserved. Upper chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, from Romanesque and Gothic France, © Christopher Callahan, Associate Professor of French/Spanish, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL — All Rights Reserved. Lower chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, from Paris Cathedrals, © Jane Raley — All Rights Reserved.