Looking at what is, arguably, the crown jewel of French gothic, the upper chapel of Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, today, is a little bit like looking at Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (or Istanbul if you prefer); it is lofty, impressive, and beautiful, and yet at the same time, it is a shell of its former self. Both structures underwent changes in their respective histories that involved these spaces no longer being used for their intended purposes.
In the case of Sainte-Chapelle, it isn't quite so dramatic as Hagia Sophia of course, for even today we can still enjoy its lofty stained-glass windows, its polychromatic statuary and decoration, however the structure as it is today is clearly missing its heart and soul: altar and shrine. As we see it today, it could as easily be a gothic hall -- and in fact, that is more or less what it has become since the time of the French Revolution. The cognitive dissonance that is created by comprehending how "full" this space can feel on the one hand (largely as a result of its colour) and yet so empty and soulless on the other (stripped, as it is, of its primary, intended liturgical functions) is noteworthy.
Sainte-Chapelle was built by the sainted French king, St. Louis, intended as a royal chapel to house the newly acquired relics of the Passion which had originally called Constantinople home. The chapel itself was envisioned as a grand reliquary in its own right, and remarkably, it was built, decorated and furnished within approximately seven years.
Structurally, stone benches surrounding the walls of the chapel functioned as the seating for the canons and other guests while the nave remained clear. Found along the walls of the chapel are statues depicting the twelve apostles, while the soaring stained glass windows that so characterize this particular liturgical space communicate a vision of the heavenly Jerusalem. Daily masses were offered here for the palace staff and court originally, but as the seat of royal power shifted to other locations, so too did some of the liturgical functions of the chapel (and in fact, liturgical reforms, initiated by the French kings, happened more than a few times throughout the chapel's history in order to ensure that the Divine Office was still properly observed here for example). The chapel did become known for its excellence in sacred music, with one of its most famous "alumni" being Marc-Antoine Charpentier,. and originally this was the site of coronations and royal marriages up until fourteenth century. Eventually it would come to be used mainly for royal requiems.
Given that it was not a "public" chapel, its designs seem to reflect its royal purposes. For example, no rood screen was originally in this chapel, though one would eventually come to be installed here.
The chapel housed Canons until the year 1767. It was already in a tenuous state when it was ultimately shut down in the 1790's and turned into a secular space during the French Revolution. Fortunately by the 1830's public pressure mounted and restoration works were undertaken to restore the art of the chapel, but unfortunately, it's use as a chapel has never been fully restored since the time of the Revolution.
What one will see in all of this is that Sainte-Chapelle has a complex history, tied up with the historical movements found within the French political sphere.
Going back, however, to my original comment that Sainte-Chapelle today is but a shell (albeit it a glorious one) of what it once was when it functioned as a liturgical space, I thought it might be of interest to look at some illustrations from the nineteenth century which show the chapel with its altar and great reliquary in place as it can help us to imagine what once was in this space; surely one of the greatest spaces (architecturally and artistically speaking) in all of Christendom.
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| Detail from an engraving showing a Mass offered in 1849 in the partially restored Sainte-Chapelle |
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| Here you can see a drawing with the high altar and a small medieval styled retablo. The great tribune containing the chest of the relics of the Passion can be seen in place above. |
This, apparently, was the altar of Sainte-Chapelle from the year 1524 though I am unable to obtain much information on it at this time other than to say that it is now housed in the Château d'Écouen.
Here too we see an engraving depicting the great reliquary container, called the "Grande Chasse," It is thought that this was likely originally placed directly behind the high altar, but eventually made its way up to the superstructure that was constructed behind the altar called the "tribune."
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| A look inside the great reliquary as seen from the back. |
This next photograph better shows the arrangement of the tribune in relation to where the altar would have been -- visible here by virtue of its predella and steps upon which the high altar would have stood. This also gives a good view of the "tribune" itself, the upper level of which was accessible by very narrow stairways.
Some details for your enjoyment.
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