Sainte-Chapelle

This gothic cathedral was built under Saint Louis (in the 13th century), and is famous for having housed the crown of thorns that Christ (supposedly) wore during his cruxifiction. Today, the crown is kept at Notre Dame and occasionally displayed for the public.

Saint Chapelle has two chapels: one on the lower level for the common people, and another one reserved just for the king. I was impressed even by the smaller chapel, painted in blue and gold and covered with fleur-de-lys designs.

Above it, the main chapel has enormously tall stained-glass windows that seem to go on forever. It's ridiculously extravagant: the windows all have designs that tell stories from the Old Testament, even if the higher ones are impossible to see clearly.

There's also an amazing rose window built in the flamboyant style—the stonework looks like curving flames, which is appropriate I guess, since the window depicts the Apocalypse. (-Lisa)