Just a few steps from Notre Dame lays a hidden gem - Seriously, the view inside Sainte-Chapelle feels like being in a gargantuan jewelry box. Though often overlooked by tourists and locals alike, this reliquary commissioned by King Louis IX is considered to be one of the most remarkable achievements of Rayonnant Gothic architecture. Granted, the exterior doesn’t look so special, but don’t let that fool you: the stained glass windows from the inside speak for themselves:

King Louis had the chapel built to house his collection of 30-something relics of Christ, which included the Crown of Thorns and the Image of Edessa. The Sainte-Chapelle is one of the oldest buildings of from the Capetian (the third lineage of kings that ruled France) royal palace. As the images show, it has one of the most extensive stained glass collections of anywhere in the world, despite being damaged during the French Revolution - holla to sophisticated restoration techniques!

Sainte-Chapelle is open for visits every day from 9am-5pm, and until 7pm in the summer. Prices range from 8€ to 10€ (free for <18).

Sainte-Chapelle

8, boulevard du Palais

75001 Paris

Speaking of Paris...