As the sun moves across the sky, different panels light up . . .
all telling stories from the Bible. Sainte Chapelle was a reliquary, built to house what is thought to be the original crown of thorns and a piece of the cross. These items are now in the possession of Notre Dame.
And, as with all good gothic churches, it has its rose window.
Sainte Chapelle is just blocks away from Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cite.
I wasn't going to visit Notre Dame on this trip, but the parents of the two-year-old waiting in line in front of me mentioned that there was a Nativity set up for the Christmas season (on seeing the donkey in the Nativity the boy had asked his parents, "Where's Shrek?" ) Because it was Christmastime, services were being conducted throughout the day. The Nativity was about half of life-size and photos of desert scenes were projected on mini-screens behind the figures. Visitors passed through in respectful silence.
The day I arrived, I visited Les Halles. My plan was to see the famous cooking store where Julia Child bought her cooking equipment -- Dehillerin. Although I did browse the store, other sights in the area included Eglise St Eustache (I believe that in the foreground is the Fontaine de la Paix) . . .
with its unusual sculpture in front.
The Centre Georges Pompidou, housing modern art.
And around the corner, the Stravinsky fountain with all its unusual sculptures . . .
And although I took loads of pictures of apartment buildings because of all the chimneys, I couldn't resist including this building because it looked like it had been cut in half.
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