Departing from Moscow-Paris, we are looking forward to a fabulous and unforgettable vacation. The opportunity to get acquainted with architectural masterpieces and works of art, visit the most "star" restaurants, shop in the most fashionable stores and much more - a trip to Paris will give you all this.
Medieval Paris
But there was another Paris - medieval. It is located on the banks of the Seine, where it developed as an imperial capital. The right bank was a trading center, where already in 1183 the covered market Les Halles appeared. And many church schools, monasteries, colleges were built on the left bank.
In 1163 Notre Dame Cathedral was built. Later, during the reign of Philip II Augustus, the construction of the Louvre began. And his very pious grandson Louis (Saint Louis the ninth) built the magnificent church of Sainte-Chapelle and Saint-Denis.
Paris was a state and religious center and by the 14th century became the largest European city with almost two hundred thousand people.
Relics
Thanks to Saint Louis, Paris was considered the second capitalChristianity. It was he who, from the seventh and eighth Crusades, brought to France valuables that were very significant for Christians and were kept in Constantinople for a long time:
- part of the Cross of the Lord;
- crown of thorns of the Savior;
- Spear of Longinus.
Specially for the storage of these relics, Louis built the Sainte-Chapelle. The desire to possess these shrines was so great that for the Crown of Thorns, Louis laid out a fabulous sum at that time - 135 thousand livres.
Saint-Chapelle
The majestic architectural monument of the Middle Ages is located in the center of Paris on the Ile de la Cité, adjacent to the Palais de Justice and the Conciergerie prison (where Marie Antoinette was once held before execution). This cathedral is truly a masterpiece of architecture from the mature Gothic period.
Besides this, the Holy Chapel played an important role in increasing the authority of the king, as it kept a large number of various valuables and holy relics. The Sainte-Chapelle was long considered the main reliquary chapel until the revolution, during which it was badly damaged in a fire.
Catholics, trying to save the holy relics from the atrocities of the revolutionaries, hid them in different places. At the same time, the Savior's crown was even cut into three parts.
And only in 1806 the shrines were collected in one place, but they were already placed in the treasury of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, where they are kept today.
The building itself in the 19th century wassuccessfully reconstructed. Jean-Baptiste Lassus, Viollet de Luc and Felix Duban worked on the restoration. The roof, spire, exterior staircase, stained glass windows were repaired and the interior decoration was done.
Construction
The construction of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris was carried out on the site of the former Royal Palace and was completed in the shortest possible time for the Middle Ages. The process was led by Pierre de Montreuil. During the construction of the chapel, technologies unique for those times were used, namely metal structures (they began to be actively used in construction only six centuries later). The armature that permeates the entire space of the church, the architect managed to very skillfully weave into the armature of the stained-glass windows.
Thanks to this technique, it was possible to achieve a feeling of lightness and infinity of the upper part of the building. Outside, a powerful foundation and heavy buttresses seem to counterbalance this lightness. The building material was very strong light sandstone.
Despite its small size (length - 35 meters, width - 17 meters and height - 43 meters), Sainte-Chapelle impresses with its sophistication and grace.
The cathedral consists of two chapels, upper and lower, which are connected by a spiral staircase. Its spire is crowned with the figure of the Archangel Michael, and on the roof are the sisters of chimeras of Notre Dame de Paris.
Lower Chapel
The lower chapel serves as a kind of foundation. On their low vaults (6.6 meters), which are supported by massivecolumns, it holds the weight of the entire building. Initially, the lower chapel of Sainte-Chapelle was intended for worship of court officials.
The lower chapel was consecrated in honor of the Virgin Mary. Upon entering the building, visitors are greeted by her statue. Most of the drawings and sculptural decoration in the temple were restored in the 19th century. But there are also unique things, for example, a 13th-century fresco that illustrates the Annunciation and is the oldest wall painting in Paris. Also here you can see the coat of arms of Queen Blanca of Castile (mother of Louis the IX), 12 bas-reliefs with images of the apostles.
Upper Chapel
In comparison with the modest interior of the lower chapel, the upper chapel impresses with its splendor and luxury. For a long time, the entrance to this part of the building was possible only through the gallery, which adjoined the king's chambers. It was here that a silver shrine with gilded copper was exhibited, in which holy relics were kept:
- Crown of the Savior;
- part of the Cross;
- veil from the head of Saint John;
- milk of the Virgin;
- icon "The Savior Not Made by Hands" and other valuables.
All this was acquired by Louis the IX in 1239. So it was until the revolution, during which the Great Cancer was destroyed.
Only the king and members of the royal family could visit the upper chapel. The upper chapel of the Sainte-Chapelle was consecrated in honor of Jesus Christ. Here, as in the lower part, most of the masterpieces restored in the 19th century. But there are also miraculous survivors. The original are the statues of the five apostles. Among them is the statue of St. Peter, whoholding the keys to heaven.
Ornaments in the form of leaves, which adorn the capitals of the side walls, are never repeated. Many images of the royal flower - the lily - were used in the decoration of the cathedral. The angels depicted in the ornaments recreate the scenes of 42 torments. The ceiling of the chapel is studded with golden stars.
Windows of Light
But nevertheless, stained glass windows brought world fame to the Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral. The upper chapel, which is over 20 meters high, has no walls - they are all replaced by huge window openings. These windows are filled with medieval stained-glass windows, the total area of which is 600 meters. Most of them are excellent reproductions, but there are also originals.
1113 biblical scenes are depicted on fifteen stained glass windows. Fourteen stained glass windows are "read" from left to right, looking at them, you can learn the whole history of the world from the birth to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The stained glass window "History of the relics of the Passion of Christ" is the only one that reads "in a serpentine", from bottom left to right, and then right to left. It describes the scene of the discovery of relics by Saint Helena in Jerusalem and their arrival in France.
Opposite is an unusual stained-glass window - Western Rose. It reaches nine meters in diameter, illustrates scenes of the apocalypse. At the center of the rose, Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead at the end of the world.
On the central stained-glass windows you can see Christ, John the Evangelist and John the Baptist. The rest depicted scenes from the Old Testament. blue andthe red colors prevailing in the decor of the room give the chapel a special brightness and color.
The best time to visit the Sainte-Chapelle is when the weather is sunny, when these stained glass windows give off an extraordinary light, while there is a feeling of touching something very great.
How to get there
If you want to admire this masterpiece of French High Gothic, first of all you need to buy a Moscow-Paris ticket. And already on the spot there are many options to visit the Sainte-Chapelle.
When traveling around Paris by car, you need to drive along the Seine to the boulevard du Palais, turn onto it and you will be at the goal. Or you can get there by bus - there are many routes that will take you to the cathedral. If you travel around the city by metro, you need to get off at the Cite station.
A visit to the cathedral will cost eight euros, while young people from 18 to 25 years old - six euros, and children under 18 years old can go on a tour for free. Alternatively, you can purchase the Museum Card, which costs between 39 and 69 euros, depending on the validity period. It will also take you to most of the other attractions in Paris.
Reviews
Tourists who visited Sainte-Chapelle are happy to share their feedback. Basically, these are, of course, words of admiration and delight. This small but majestic building evokes some special feelings and emotions.
The only thing that will not work is to enjoy the beauty alone, and most likely you will have to queue in front of the entrance, as there are always visitorslots of. But having been there, people do not at all regret the time spent, but on the contrary, they strongly recommend going to this sacred place.
Don't forget that it's best to travel on a clear sunny day to get the most out of the play of the sun's rays on the stained glass windows.
