Cathedral+of+Chartres

History ====//** ﻿ **// Nobody knows the names of the men who made it. ==== It has housed the tunic of the blessed Virgin Mary, since 876 so it is an important Marian pilgrimage ceter. The cathedral survived a fire in 1134 that destroyed much of the town. People had thought the tunic of the Virgin Mary had also perished in the fire, but 3 days later it was found unharmed. So it was considered by a bishop as a sign from Mary, so a new cathedral was built in Chartres trying to preserve the original aspect, and in 1220 the main structure was started and completed in 1260. The cathedral was added to the UNESCO list of world heritage sites in 1979. ﻿Chartres Cathedral was the most important building in the town - the centre of its economy In the Middle Ages, the cathedral functioned as a kind of market-place

Renovations/Changes First the church dated from no later than the 4th century, but it was burned in 743 by a duke of Aquitaine. The second also was burned, in 858 by Danish pirates. This church in its turn was destroyed by fire during the night of 7th September 1020

Characteristics // Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres cathedral located in Chartres, about 80 kilometers (50 mi) southwest of Paris, one of the finest examples of the French High Gothic style. // // Constructed between 1193 and 1250 // One of at least five that have occupied the site since the town became a bishopric in the 4th century. The majority of the original stained glass windows survive intact. Minor changes have been made since the early 13th century. The building's exterior is dominated by heavy flying buttresses There are three great facades, each adorned with hundreds of sculpted figures illustrating theological themes and narratives. Since at least the 12th century the cathedral has been an important destination for travelers, attracting large numbers of Christian pilgrims.

People and places David MacAulay – book J. Sandom – mayor regions charter Brian Sewell- explores the cathedral Great scholars were attracted to the cathedral school, including Thierry of Chartres, William of Conches and the Englishman John of Salisbury. These men were at the forefront of the intense intellectual rethinking that culminated in what is now known as the twelfth-century renaissance, pioneering the Scholastic philosophy that came to dominate medieval thinking throughout Europe. Orson Welles- used it as a visual back drop and inspiration for a montage in his film "F for fake".

Floor Plan and Illustrations

floor plan Chartres Cathedral

Location of Chartres Cathedral in France North transept rose window Links [] Andrea Ovalle