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Hello again, fellow Americans.  We will document that the year is 2100 A.D. The earth is still uninhabitable, as it was in our last meeting several months ago. Progress has been slow to develop tools that will enable inhabitants on planet Earth. We want to look again at items to preserve and serve as inspiration for our children. The legacy of our world is to be decided in the next few meetings. This task is of paramount importance. The second item I believe would be of utmost significance to future generations is, the lancet rose windows of Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, France. The lancet rose windows of the Sainte-Chapelle are the finest and most complete example of what we know today as classic Gothic architecture. . All facets of Gothic architecture are featured in the Sainte-Chappelle. The stained glass displayed here is the most impressive example available in the world. Some other examples of classic Gothic architecture here are stone sculpture, wood sculpture, painting, metalwork, enamels and ivories.

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Lancet windows are very narrow shape and high with an arch. It gets the name lancet from being shaped like the tip of a lance. Stained glass was thought to have started at least 5,000 years ago. The time of the lancet rose windows  was known as the golden age of stained glass. It is common knowledge that today only 10% of all stained glass is used in churches. This makes the Sainte-Chapelle windows an even more important example to preserve for the future of mankind. It was an engineering marvel. It was purported that engineers constructing Gothic cathedrals used a mathematical formula hidden in pages from the bible, similar to that of creating the universe. This idea is of major consequence for future generations to adapt, build and create. The Temple of Solomon has been compared to many Gothic buildings.  
 
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The Sainte-Chapelle was designed as a place of worship for the royal family, the court and its servants. The architect of the Sainte-Chapelle was thought to be Jean De Chelles, who designed the famous Notre-Dame. Another possible contributor to the chapel was Pierre De Montreuil, who was Jean’s pupil and rival. The original plan of the chapel was attributed to Pierre De Montreuil, who had also worked on the Royal Abbey of Saint-Denis and the Notre-Dame Cathedral.  The Sainte-Chapelle was purchased in 1239 by Louis IX from Baldwin II, Emperor of Constantinople. Louis IX acquired the Crown of Thorns, which was the inspiration for building Sainte-Chapelle. The emperor was thought to be desperate for cash, thus parting with such a precious relic. Two years after the purchase more relics were brought from Byzantium. Louis IX paid 40,000 livres to build the chapel. At the time, this was a very small amount of money. 135,000 livres was paid for the relics that were housed there. Note that it is more than triple the figure for the relics than for the building they were housed. The chapel underwent major restoration efforts begun in 1837 by Felix-Jacques Duban, Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and Viollet-le-Duc. The restorations were completed in 1863 by Emile Boeswillwald.
 
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Sainte-Chapelle served a double purpose. The lower chapel served as a basement for storage of numerous precious religious artifacts. The upper chapel served as a place of worship. The upper chapel is comprised of richly hued stained glass windows. The windows comprise 600 square meters or 6456 square feet in area. The figures in the stained glass windows illustrate 1130 figures from the Bible. The fact that there are over 1100 figures is one of the main reasons that this building needs to be preserved. The story told by the windows is significant for religious, social and historical purposes. Blue floral mosaic patterns and red lattice shapes color the majority of the window panes. The dark blue panes emit an emotion of warmth and power. The crimson red panes emit an emotion of love and humanity. The upper chapel decorations adorning the walls include the old and new testament in stained glass, the history of the relics of the Passion in stained glass, statues of the apostles and enamel paintings of martyrs in a series of medallions.

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 Numerous other western churches used the Sainte-Chapelle for its architectural model. Some examples you may be familiar with are the Bourg, Chartres, Beauvais the Notre-Dame and the Westminster Abbey. The most significant aspect of Gothic architecture evident in the Sainte-Chapelle is its use of the Rayonnant style in the stained glass windows. This style was a phase of architectural design involving reduced mass and scale. It is difficult to explain in words on paper. The visual of the windows themselves explains Rayonnant the best. It increased the importance of voids and intensified the complexity of trace patterns. Rayonnant developed for political, economic, religious and artistic reasons.  It has the look of very little metal or stone building, and very extensive use of glass in the space provided. The stained glass panes appear to be floating as a result of the construction techniques. Gothic architecture was different than others in its use of reaching for height. The height was representative of Gothic pride. The height created was an attempt by the people to be closer to God. Painstaking manual labor for thousands of man hours was involved to create the height seen in these windows. By calculating angles and weight and scale, builders could use more windows to convey a message, rather than how the exterior of the building impressed viewers. The Sainte-Chapelle’s most impressive characteristic is that of its stained glass windows. The windows cover virtually all of the wall areas and reach from near the floor almost to the ceiling. It was thought that occupants of the Sainte-Chapelle were made to feel that they were in a sacred space that transcended religious significance. Rayonnant style became a permanent feature of architecture after the time that the Sainte-Chapelle was built.
 
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Gothic architecture was the prevalent style of the time of Louis IX. Many buildings and places of worship displayed various pieces and styles of the Gothic phase. Numerous other chapels in Paris in the 13th century display paintings or sculpture or enamels, which are good examples of the Gothic emphasis. What makes the Sainte-Chapelle special, unique and distinguishable is the fact that all pieces of the Gothic architecture of the time are encompassed there. The stained glass windows on display in Sainte-Chapelle are unlike any other anywhere else in the world. The building of the stained glass windows makes the ceiling seem to appear to float. Each window, divided into arches, reads from left to right and from top to bottom. The story of the Bible unfolds with each window pane.
 
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In contrast to the Sainte-Chapelle would be the Saint Germain Des Pres Chapel. The Sainte- Chapelle emphasizes its story telling in a vertical nature. The St-Germain des-Pres chapel tells its story horizontally. The Clermont Cathedral in central France was thought to have been inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle. Mimicry is the highest form of flattery. Copycats of the Rayonnant style were the Westminster Abbey, The Cologne Cathedral in Germany, and the Leon Cathedral in Spain. These 5 other buildings all took from the original. They all have their strengths and weaknesses in the realms of art, history, politics and religion. However, the Sainte-Chapelle, I believe, gives the most compelling evidence that it should be around for centuries to come.  The biggest reason the chapel should be kept is for the stained glass windows inside its walls. 

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In the 13th century the Sainte-Chapelle was perceived as a historical, religious, political and social phenomenon. The reason it was considered as such was because of the impact that the stained glass windows made on the people of Paris and the world. It was received with awe and revered by generations to follow. It was the focal point for the rulers of France. It brought together religion and royalty. It was said that Sainte-Chapelle was a result of Louis IX political ambition to be the central monarch of western Christendom. The workmanship in the stained glass windows conveys this ambition visually.
 
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Sainte-Chapelle in present day is one of the most adored , visited and researched buildings due to the fact that it is of such artistic value for our future. It also is critical for our architectural future due to it being the birth of the Rayonnant style as we know it today. It is paramount to our religious future in that it was home to the Crown of Thorns. The story of the bible is told through the stained glass window panes. According to the TripAdvisor website, the Sainte-Chapelle is the 3rd most popular site to visit in France out of 763 choices. Generations value its significance because it encompasses all aspects of the Gothic lifestyle. The windows are its most valuable asset.
 
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I believe the lancet rose stained glass windows in the Sainte-Chapelle are the most unique and beautiful contained in a religious building of its kind. The fact that the stained glass windows exemplify the Bible’s story with such gorgeous lighted detail cannot be argued. The Sainte-Chapelle implements the use of grisaille. Grisaille is a fascinating and complex artform. It comes from French, meaning (to paint or make gray). Grisaille technique is common in stained glass, where the need for sections in different colours was greatly reduced. Portions of a window may be done in grisaille — using, silver stain or vitreous paint — while other sections are done in coloured glass. Silver stain, ironically, gives the glass a golden effect. This elegance and refinement of the grisaille technique in the Sainte-Chapelle were beyond compare even in contemporary illumination.  I believe Gothic architecture will be around for centuries to come. The Rayonnant style embodied in the stained glass rose windows is a perfect example of what a royal chapel should look like. I was in awe of the rich reds and burning blues used on the window panes throughout. The magnificence of each unit is difficult to put into words. Beauty like that of the lancet rose windows cannot be viewed anywhere else on Earth. Thus it is imperative that we keep this facility for our future.

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My reason for nominating the stained glass windows of the  Sainte-Chapelle for future preservation is because it has importance on numerous levels. It is valuable in the architectural arena, due to the Rayonnant style and the classic Gothic architecture themes used throughout. It is important for religious purposes due to the fact that it housed the Crown of Thorns and its stained glass windows told the story of the Bible. The attention to detail and the craftsmanship of each stained glass window could be viewed as priceless on an individual level, not to mention the fact that they are all centrally located in one building in Paris, France. Two thirds of the pieces in the Sainte-Chapelle are original artworks representing the finest examples of 12th century craftsmanship. The grisaille technique implemented in the Sainte-Chapelle is yet another reason I am nominating this building for continued preservation. Its value in the area of politics is critical as well. It housed the royal family and was the central worship location in Paris. By taking the time, cost, thought and manpower to create this masterpiece, Louis IX became an icon of his time. Combining religion, politics, history and art in the Sainte-Chapelle makes it arguably the most valuable piece of workmanship that exists today.  Gothic architectures’ main focus was to create greater light and visual space. The example of the lancet rose stained glass windows of Sainte-Chapelle are the very best in the world that is still in existence. Nowhere else in the world can a visitor obtain the same feelings as being lifted up into a zone of space and light. The stained glass examples contained within the walls of the Sainte-Chapelle were a result of artists trying to keep up with stylistic standards established by artists in the realms of oil, ink and tempera. The coloring and attention to detail and toils of the artists in creating this masterpiece were meant to give a very truthful representation. It was meant to look as lifelike as possible. The color richness and abundance of light throughout this building make it gorgeous beyond words. I implore my fellow committee members to consider the lancet rose stained glass windows of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, France as a feature for humankind to adore, be awed, develop inspiration and realize religious significance for many, many years to come.  


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Kaye, Nicholas, Marcel Aubert, and Simone Goubet. <em>Gothic Cathedrals of France and their Treasures</em>. London, England: Adlard and Son, Ltd., 1959. Print. 

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Weiss, Daniel H. " Architectural symbolism and the decoration of the Ste.-Chapelle." <em>Art Bulletin </em>77.2 (1995):308. Maste