Built toward the second half of the 13th century by Louis IX, the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture. Originally part of the royal palace itself, it served as a personal church as well as housing some very valuable relics of the Catholic faith. Now, it continues to be a tourist destination because of its awe inspiring stained glass windows. The development of the pointed arch allowed this incredible wall of light to stand without risk of structural instability, while tiny colored pieces of glass form the picture mosaics within the windows themselves. This is yet another example of multiple distinct elements combining to form something both beautiful and functional: a perfect combination of both engineering precision and artistic grace. Showing that even dissimilar fields can be combined to form a unified whole, each aspect emphasizes and enhances the others, despite widely divergent backgrounds and seemingly opposite categories of thinking. Once a strong framework of ideas is laid, much like the pointed arches in the cathedral’s architecture, many other details come together like fragments of a stained glass window to magnify the light of learning.
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