The Sainte-Chapelle and The Conciergerie

Picture: Costa (2015)

Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th century Gothic chapel, is a work attributed to the king Louis IX, The St. Louis. It was built especially to keep the Crown of Christ, acquired by the French ruler at the time of the Crusades. Today the relic is in Notre-Dame, but the architectural beauty of the Sainte-Chapelle still attracts countless visitors.

Picture: Costa (2015)

The famous stained-glass windows form a solemn and purple setting, with drawings depicting more than 1,000 biblical scenes. They are the most beautiful in the world and you can admire them with the aid of a visual guide, located just at the entrance of the chapel and available to tourists in several languages.

Picture: Costa (2015)

The chapel is just a few blocks from Notre-Dame, so it's an interesting sequence to do on the first day in Paris. But unlike that church, this chapel charges for tickets and has restricted entry times. Before you leave, do not forget to contemplate the church's pinnacles outside, inspired by the Crown of Christ.

Picture: Costa (2015)

Right next to the Sainte-Chapelle, which can be accessed from a twinned entrance with that of the chapel, is the Conciergerie. Although little visited by tourists, its historical and architectural importance is extremely relevant. It was the site of the Roman Prefecture - when Paris was Lutetia almost 2,000 years ago - and then built in Gothic architecture, serving as the palace to the King of France, even before the Louvre and Versailles. It is a majestic medieval castle, right in the heart of the City of Light, which housed the guilty prisoners shortly before their executions, which were held near there, in the current square of the Hôtel de Ville. Its ogival arch vaults create an impressive Gothic room, from which we explore the ancient chains of the condemned. The most famous of them, Marie Antoinette, is still present there from a statue that seems really to be waiting its turn to go to the guillotine.

The Notre-Dame of Paris

 Picture: Costa (2015)

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, located in front of the landmark of the city, had its construction begun in 1163, lasting 200 years. It is in her that we start our architectural tour through the most beautiful city in Europe!

This work reached the pinnacle of Gothic, presenting all the characteristics of this style. The rosettes - large circular stained glass - for example, are classified among the largest in Europe, with 13m in diameter. However, after the French Revolution (1789), the cathedral was severely damaged. Its restoration took place in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc, a controversial scholar who inserted parts of the building that did not exist before the renovation - see the black pinnacle at the top of the church roof.

 Picture: Costa (2015)

The cathedral is one of the most emblematic monuments of Paris. For a long time, it was the tallest building in the city and the largest religious and cultural center in the historic heart of France. In the Middle Ages, it was the Royal Parish, a place of veneration of what is believed to be the true Crown of Christ brought by the crusader king Louis IX in 1239. If you are in Paris on the first Friday of the month at 3:00 p.m., it is very interesting to see the celebration where Holy Crownthe is exposed to the public.

 Picture: Costa (2015)

The south facade of the cathedral is surrounded by a beautiful, flowery park that leads to the back of the church, where one of the most famous bridges with padlocks is located. From there, frame a beautiful photo of the church's buttresses, architectural elements characteristic of the most perfect work of Gothic French.

Picture: Costa (2015)

On the west façade, the main one, admire the medieval images embedded in the entrances of the church. There are three portals in an ogival arch, Mary (left), Final Judgment (center) and Saint Anne (right).

Picture: Costa (2015)

They are funny the scenes of the hell described in the vestibule of the Final Judgment, that also had the intervention of Viollet-le-Duc. Approach them well to admire them!

Picture: Costa (2015)

Do not rush to admire the Kings Gallery, whose heads were torn during the Revolution and reconstituted by Viollet-le-Duc.

PARIS

Picture: The Eiffel Tower (Costa, 2015)

ARCTRAVELS starts here in Paris. Let's go explore what the City of Light offers us in relation to its beautiful architecture, with interesting itineraries and tips for those who want to travel and to know why it is one of the most photographed cities in the world. With photos, from the center to the outskirts of the city, several attractions for those who enjoy sightseeing and also have a real history class wherever you go.