Sainte-Chapelle Stained Glass Rose Window
On Saturday, we set out across the river to Sainte-Chapelle. Built in 1248 by Louis IX, the 15 stained glass windows soar 50 ft. high and portray over 1000 religious scenes. The Rose Window at the front of the church tells the story of the Apocalypse in 86 panels and was a gift from Charles VIII in 1485.
From Sainte-Chapelle, we walked down the Left Bank to the Musée d'Orsay, known for its collection of Impressionist art. Formerly a railroad station, it was reopened in 1986 to present the arts from 1848 to 1914. Paintings by Renoir, Gauguin, Manet, Monet, Degas as well as sculpture from the period are showcased in its open, airy spaces. You can buy a Museum Pass at any Metro station which allows access to dozens of museums and other attractions throughout Paris for 1, 2, or 5 consecutive days. Even better than the money-saving, however, is that the pass allows you to bypass the long queues of people waiting to get into the sites.
Earlier, while we were at Sainte Chapelle, Jay had noticed that there was going to be a chamber music concert held there that evening. The Gounod and Schubert Ave Maria were performed, followed by the Four Seasons.