In my Medieval Art class last semester, we looked in-depth at several types of Gothic cathedrals in France (yes, there’s more than just one type of Gothic). But the cathedral that really captivated me and eventually became the subject of my term paper was Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. This chapel is other-worldly; the highly ornamented interior, matched with the fact that the stained glass windows account for nearly all of the wall surface in the building, truly gives onlookers a sense of how powerful and wealthy the French monarchy was at one point.

Now, I’m sure all of you are thinking, “Okay, but what does this 13th century church have to do with, well, the modern times?” And the answer is simple: because of modern times, we now know more about the windows than anyone ever before, making this church a huge tourist site in Paris.

Specifically, this church uses a location-based narrative app that, once downloaded, helps tourists receive a better understanding of the scenes and people depicted in the windows. By pointing your phone’s camera towards a specific section of the rose window or towards the main windows surrounding the church, the app tells you the story behind the biblical or historical French scenes that encompass this beautiful space. Windows that are fifty feet high can now be understood for all that is pictured within them.

Think about it–this is a remarkable feat. For centuries, the only thing that people could see when coming into this space included the intense colors and some window scenes–never could anyone really see all of the art that was above and beyond them. By using the technologies of today, our generations now have the chance to unlock the past. We have ways to keep the past relevant and interesting by incorporating modern aspects to museums, buildings, and literature–making the people and stories of the past just as exciting as those of today.

For more scenes from Sainte-Chapelle, check out this video: