Sun shining through a window of La Sagrada Família
Since the Middle Ages, thousands of buildings in the world, both religious and not, have been adorned with stained glass artworks ranging from religious scenes to abstract patterns, and the artisan technique itself has significantly developed. But even today, installing a window made of stained glass takes substantial effort, mainly because such windows are extremely heavy, and each colorful piece of glass has to fit within the metal frame perfectly.
A combination of history and high artistry, these famous stained glass windows are highly cherished around the world. One look at them, and you’ll be swept away into a fantasy of color and light.
Sainte-Chapelle - Paris, France
Sainte-Chapelle is a famous Gothic chapel overlooking the Seine river from the Ile de la Cité island of Paris. Commissioned by King Louis IX, the nearly 800-year-old chapel is famous worldwide for its stained glass windows nestled in a stone frame.
Once part of the royal residence of the French kings and queens, the chapel is a priceless art relic. Within the chapel, there are fifteen 50 feet high windows that depict scenes from the Old and New Testament, encompassing over 1,000 biblical figures.
Nasir al-Mulk Mosque - Shiraz, Iran
Better known as the “Pink Mosque,” this stunning structure was built in 1876 in Shiraz, Iran. The stained glass windows are of exceptional interest, as they were built to capture the morning sun, casting a glorious light display on the building's floor.
The vibrant stained glass windows are further complemented by colorful tiles arranged in geometric patterns and floors covered in traditional Persian rugs. So, at certain times of the day, the building’s interior turns into an amalgamation of all the colors in the world. See more images of this beautiful mosque here - The Pink Mosque of Shiraz, Iran.
Palau de la Música Catalana - Barcelona, Spain
Creatred by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner in 1908, the Palau de la Música Catalana is a brilliant concert hall in Barcelona, Spain. The stained glass ceiling of the music hall is certainly the center of all attention. Designed by Antoni Rigalt, that massive stained-glass skylight resembles a clear blue sky with a three-dimensional sun image as the centerpiece.
The Chapel of Thanks-Giving - Dallas, Texas, USA
Completed in 1976, the Chapel of Thanks-Giving is located in downtown Dallas, and it was designed “to promote the concept of giving thanks as a universal, human value.” The chapel's spiral building was developed by the architect Philip Johnson.
Within the spiral ceiling of the chapel, visitors will find a dazzling spiral stained glass composition that consists of 73 panels. Known as The Glory Window, this beautiful stained glass display was created by French artist Gabriel Loire.
Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
This modern Metropolitan Cathedral in Rio was designed by architect Edgar Fonseca and opened in 1979, but it looks nothing like your ordinary church. The massive conical structure was intended to be reminiscent of Mayan pyramids and can hold an audience of up to 20,000 people.
There are four tall stained-glass windows running along the 200-feet tall walls of the cathedral. These windows meet at the ceiling where they form a cross-shaped skylight.
Chicago Cultural Center - Chicago, Illinois, USA
The Chicago Cultural Center is home to one of the largest stained-glass domes in the world. The Tiffany dome is 38 feet in diameter, and it consists of a cast-iron frame that holds 30,000 pieces of colorful glass. Completed in 1897, the stained-glass masterpiece was created by Jacob Adolphus Holzer, a Swiss-born designer, and mosaicist who worked for Tiffany at the time. Learn more about Tiffany here - Artist’s Portrait: L.C.Tiffany, the Master of Stained Glass.
Santuário Dom Bosco - Brasília, Brazil
The Santuário Dom Bosco is one of Brasília’s greatest architectural gems. The building’s facade may seem somewhat unassuming at first glance, but the interior of the building is permeated by 12 shades of angelic blue light that come from 80 tall stained-glass windows arranged parallel to each other.
Santuário Dom Bosco was designed by the Brazilian architect Carlos Alberto Naves, and the stained glass windows were created by Hubert van Doorne, a Belgian glass artist.
Aachen Cathedral - Aachen, Germany
The Aachen Cathedral is a true Gothic cathedral with magnificent 84-foot-tall stained-glass windows. Founded in 796 under Emperor Charlemagne, the building served as the place of coronation for German kings and queens, as well as the final resting place for many of them, including Charlemagne himself.
Aachen Cathedral is one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe. Sadly, the original choir windows had been destroyed during World War II, but they have been accurately restored by Walter Benner and Anton Wendling by 1951.
Galeries Lafayette - Paris, France
Galeries Lafayette is one of the most famous luxury shopping destinations in the French capital. The building itself is an architectural masterpiece with an iconic 141-foot-tall dome at the center. The dome was designed in 1912 by French glassmaker and fashionista Jacques Gruber.
National Gallery of Victoria - Melbourne, Australia
The National Gallery of Victoria is the oldest art gallery in Australia, but the stained glass art piece we shall mention is a much later 20th-century addition.
In the 1960s, the gallery was expanded under the supervision of the architect Roy Grounds, who asked the Australian stained-glass artist Leonard French to create a colorful stained glass ceiling to let natural light into the interior of the gallery’s Great Hall. The massive project was finished in 1968, resulting in the creation of one of the largest stained glass ceilings in the world.
York Minster Chapter House - York, England, UK
The famous York Minster Chapter House dates back to the year 1260. Considered to be an example of the Decorated Gothic style, the Chapter House is also one of the largest Medieval cathedrals in the world. Among the many architectural gems here is the brilliant collection of true medieval stained glass that dates back to the 13th century. As customary, the glasswork depicts biblical scenes.
Gran Hotel Ciudad de México - Mexico City, Mexico
Originally built in 1899 as a luxury department store, Gran Hotel Ciudad de México was turned into a hotel before the 1968 Olympic Games. The art deco ceiling of the hotel lobby is a tapestry of Tiffany stained glass. Designed by Jacques Gruber, the ceiling features 3 domes at the center and a bright-colored turquoise and gold palette.
Coventry Cathedral - Coventry, England, UK
In the 14th century, a Gothic cathedral was built in Coventry, England. That church was bombed in 1940 during World War II, and instead of fully rebuilding the original structure, the ruins were preserved and a modern cathedral was built right next to it.
And it is that new cathedral that is home to a stained-glass wall designed by the famous glass artist Lawrence Lee. The cathedral also preserved around 5,000 fragments of the old medieval stained-glass windows that were rescued from the ruins.
La Sagrada Família - Barcelona, Spain
La Sagrada Família is one of the most famous buildings in the world, but the stained glasswork of the church is somewhat less recognized. Nestled in-between the fantastic towers and intricate stonework is a series of abstract stained glass windows ranging in a multitude of shapes and color schemes that tint the light that enters the cathedral in all the colors of the rainbow.
Considered to be Antoni Gaudí’s magnum opus, work on the cathedral began in the late 19th century, and it is yet to be completed. Although only the building’s facade has been finished within Gaudi’s time, the architect left detailed instructions and plans that allow architects today to continue his work. Read more about Gaudi and this cathedral here - Antoni Gaudi: the Life and Work of “God’s Architect.”
Notre-Dame de Paris - Paris, France
No other European cathedral can boast of being as famous as Notre Dame. Completed almost 7 centuries ago, this gothic cathedral had hosted numerous historical events and was featured in countless books and movies. And the stained glass windows of the cathedral are just as iconic as the Notre Dame itself.
Of the 44 stained-glass windows in the cathedral, most date back to the 13th century. But the North and South Rose Windows are the two most famous ones. In the image above, you can see the North Rose Window, which dates back to 1250 and is a little over 42 feet in diameter.
St. Joseph's Church - Le Havre, France
St. Joseph's Church is also located in France, but it’s nothing like Notre Dame. The church is a tribute to the 5,000 people who died in Le Havre as the port city was almost completely obliterated during World War II. The modern church was constructed by the architect Auguste Perret in the 1950s, and it has a 350-foot tall spire that makes it resemble a tower or lighthouse.
In fact, the locals affectionately refer to the church as “the lighthouse at the heart of the city.” The inside of the spire is lined with stained glass created by Marguerite Huré which emphasizes the interior’s sharp geometric shape and guides the eye up to the sky.
King’s College Chapel - Cambridge, England, UK
The foundation of this English Gothic Chapel was laid in 1446 by King Henry VI himself. The church has the largest fan vault in the world, which is composed of ceiling ribs spreading outward like a fan. The 26 stained-glass windows were added a century later, and they are considered to be among the finest in the world of this era. Interestingly, most of the stained glass windows were temporarily removed during World War II to safeguard them from damage.
Cathedral of Brasília - Brasília, Brazil
The last stained glasswork on this list is also the youngest one. A marvel of modernist architecture, the Cathedral of Brasília was designed by the famous architect Oscar Niemeyer in a hyperboloid structure that consists of 16 concrete columns. Although the cathedral itself has been dedicated in 1970, the iconic stained glass was only added in 1990.
The 22,000- square-foot glass artwork was created by Marianne Peretti, and it features intersecting waves of white, blue, and green-tinted glass.
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