The Worlds Most Famous Stained Glass Windows

MOST FAMOUS STAINED- GLASS WINDOWS ON EARTH CONWY V 由 LLEY WINDOWS & CONSERVATORIES Year construction was finished. 2000 1500 1000 500 Sainte-Chapelle, France The Sainte-Chapelle, also known as the Holy Chapel, lies on the lle de la cité, in the centre of Paris, and was originally built to house King Louis IX's relics of Christ, among them the Crown of Thorns. The Sainte-Chapelle is considered by many to be one of the great pieces of Gothic architecture, and still contains one of the largest amounts of 13th Century stained-glass in the world. The Chicago Cultural Centre The Chicago Cultural Centre building was built in 1893 and opened in 1897. It houses the city's official reception venue, and today acts as an arts and culture centre (It was originally opened as the central library). Among the buildings magnificent works of architecture, is the 38 foot Tiffany glass dome, which lies at the top of the Preston Bradley Hall. The Cultural Centre claim that this dome is the largest of its kind in the entire world. The Grossmünster, Switzerland The "Great Minster", as it's known in English, is a Protestant church, located in Zurich. Construction on it began in 1100, and the church was opened around 1220. The stained glass windows in this church, designed by Sigmar Polke were crafted with agate, and when light passes through them, they give off the impression of being glowing walls. Interestingly though, these windows have only been in the Great Minster since 2009, and each design progresses roughly in a chronological order of the Old Testament, leading up to the birth of Christ. "PEOPLE ARE LIKE STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS. THEY SPARKLE AND SHINE WHEN THE SUN IS OUT, BUT WHEN THE DARKNESS SETS IN, THEIR TRUE BEAUTY IS REVEALED ONLY IF THERE IS A LIGHT FROM WITHIN." ELISABETH KÜBLER-ROSS St. Vitus Cathedral, Czech Republic This cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Prague and is the largest church in the Czech Republic. Also known by its Czech name of Katedrála svatého Víta, it is part of the Prague Castle Complex, and contains some of the tombs of Holy Roman Emperors, and rulers of Bohemia. Alfons Mucha designed and decorated the windows of the north nave in the 1920s, and this one above in 1931, which depicts St. Wenceslas, the patron saint of the Czech Republic, with his grandmother St. Ludmila. The Netherlands Institute For Sound And Vision The Netherlands Institute For Sound And Vision is among the largest audio- visual archives in Europe, with an astounding 800'000 hours worth of material, including television and film, music and radio. It digitizes massive amounts of its collection, allowing for much higher efficiency when it comes to long term preservation and accessibility. The archives are stored up to five floors below ground. The upper five levels however, host the museum which is open to the general public. The glass windows making up the exterior were designed by Jaap Drupsteen, and are made of relief glass which depict various iconic images of Dutch-TV throughout the years. Depending on the light, it is possible to see various images appear and disappear throughout the day. Copyright ConwyValleyWindows Sainte Chapelle, France The Chicago Cult ural Center, USA Grossmünst er Church, Swit zerland Saint Vitus Cathedral, Czech Republic The Net herlands Inst it ut e For Sound And Vision