Virtual Refectory: The Gilded Cage

Relics, royals and a right big chapel!

I recently found myself on a morning chat with the tour company I work for on quite a regular basis. In the midst of brainstorming ideas for new tours, I was asked about the origins of my book. When mentioning many of the sites, it suddenly struck me that most people’s response to hearing about our great cathedrals is “I have visited or I know that church but I have no idea at all about the history behind it to how it came to be”. So, it struck me, how about I introduce you to the origins of some of our great cathedrals?

I must admit, this is exactly what my forthcoming book, Heaven on Earth, purports to do. But it is going to be a big, meaty, hulk of a book—more Norman than skeletal Gothic! Therefore, I was forced to cut out a couple of sites that I really wanted to include. Such is life, or such is the author’s plight, but what that means is you get some of my tasty leftovers. On that note, here are the origins of the Sainte Chapelle in Paris…

Sainte Chapelle - Upper Chapel, Paris, France