College of Central FloridaLa Sainte-ChapelleRobin ShilstoneIntroduction to Art History I, ARH2050 Section 1Professor Will AdamsApril 22, 2014La Sainte Chapelle sparkles like a rare gem blessed with architectural and magnificent decoration; the stained glass windows seem to be inside a case. The many jewels seem to change color every hour with the bouncing rays of the sun. “The founder, King Louis IX, future Saint Louis, who had it built to house the Holy Relics of the Passion, today dispersed” (Finance 1). The spire has statues of Christ's apostles at the base of the spire and decorated corners above the apostles. The Sainte Chapelle, the lower chapel was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and reserved for administrative staff. The upper chapel was reserved for the king and his family; religious relics linked to Jesus Christ were kept in the upper chapel. In 1690, the flood damaged the lower chapel, the fire of 1776 caused even more damage, then the Revolution further damaged the Sainte Chapelle. Restoration began around 1840 and was completed in the mid-19th century to expose the original 13th-century medieval architecture. King Louis IX founded the Sainte Chapelle avec la Flèche to house religious relics linked to Jesus Christ, the lower chapel was intended for the palace staff and the upper chapel was reserved for the king. Additionally, Louis IX was crowned king in 1226 at the age of twelve, and his mother held the kingdom until 1234, when he married. In 1239, Louis IX purchased in Constantinople the crown of thorns that Jesus Christ wore during the Crucifixion. "Louis IX also purchased a fragment of the True Cross from Baldwin II...... middle of paper... medieval period, and the beauty and architecture are still admired centuries later. Page cited: Leniaud, Jean-Michel and Françoise Perrot. La Sainte-Chapelle Paris: Center des monuments nationaux, 2007. Finance, Laurence de. La Sainte-Chapelle Paris: Center des monuments nationaux, 2001. Brew, Charl Anne. ." Arts & Activities, October 2010: 30. Academic OneFile. Weisse, Daniel H. "Architectural symbolism and decoration of the Sainte-Chapelle." Le Bulletin d'Art 77.2 (1995): 308. Academic OneFile. Papapanicolaou, Linda Morey . “Stained glass window of Tours Cathedral: the impact of the Sainte-Chapelle in the 1240s.” Journal of the Metropolitan Museum, Vol. 15, (1980): pp. 53-66. “An indulgence for the visitor: the public at the Sainte-Chapelle of Paris.” (October 2008): pp.. 840-883.