Sainte Chapelle

After walking across Le Pont Neuf, which in French means news bridge (ironic, as it is the oldest standing bridge in Paris) I found Sainte Chapelle.  I waited to get through security for half an hour, and then I waited another fifteen minutes to buy my ticket to even get into the cathedral. 

A little background for you, Sainte Chapelle is a gothic cathedral built by King Louis IX of France.  Said King Louis is, SAINT LOUIS (wooooo).  He is the only canonized king of France, and he erected the cathedral as a shrine for the Crown of Thorns and a fragment of the Holy Cross that he secured in his crusading.  I'd say he's a pretty great guy.  Sainte Chapelle is located on the Ile de la Cite, inside the Palace of Justice. 

Here is the Palace of Justice. 

Inside the columns are the three words that the French hold as their motto,"Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite."  I think you can guess, but that means Liberty, Equality, and Brotherhood.  Pretty nice concepts.

So then I was waiting outside for a long time. And I kid you not, I probably looked so strange because I am sure I was shaking. But here are some pictures of the outside of the Cathedral. 

And when I finally got inside, I feel like I simply spun in circles.  It was beautiful. The chapel down stairs was ornately decorated on the ceiling with blue and gold paint.  There was a statue in the altar of Saint Louis, and the crown of thorns used to sit exactly there (it's now in Notre Dame). 

I then climbed up the twisty stone stairs to the upper chapel, where fifteen stained glass windows make you feel like you're in a kaleidoscope. Each window tells a story, from an entire book, in the bible. The rose window in the back of the chapel was also breath taking. The sun shining through the windows made little patterns of light. And then there was Joselyn, the lone little American francophile spinning in circles snapping photos like it was the only thing keeping her alive. Whatever. I am so thankful I got to see this. Pictures don't do it any justice. 

I then met back up with my friends at the Louvre (they were napping in the sun. lame!), and we took the metro back to meet up with our tour guide at the Eiffel Tower.  We took a river boat cruise down the Seine, which was neat. But I won't lie, I had to force my eyes open the entire time.  We were exhausted.  When we got back to our hotel , at about 9:00 that night, we had food in the restaurant downstairs and passed out. I've never slept so well in my entire life. 


P.S. Here are some pictures of the outside of the Louvre.  If you have seen the DaVinci Code, you recoignize the pyramid ya?

So, it was a busy, tiring, fun filled, remarkable day.  I won't forget it till I die. I literally cannot wait to go back to France again, sometime in my life, and spend more time looking at everything and absorbing the culture.