Sainte Chapelle (The Holy Chapel) is a 13th-century Gothic chapel on the Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris, France. It was built by Louis IX for use as his royal chapel.  Sainte-Chapelle was founded by the ultra-devout King Louis IX of France, who constructed it as a chapel for the royal palace and to house a splinter from what was believed to be the cross of Christ and thorns from the crown of thorns.