Page 296 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

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CHARTRES Did You Know?

Some believe the
CATHEDRAL cathedral’s labyrinth
represents the
pilgrimage to the
Holy Land.
EXPERIENCE The Loire Valley According to art historian Émile Male, The taller of the two spires,
! D3 ⌂ Pl de la Cathédrale # 8:30am–7:30pm
daily ∑ cathedrale-chartres.org
“Chartres is the mind of the Middle Ages
manifest.” A true masterpiece of Gothic
architecture, this monumental, double-
dating from the start of the
spired cathedral towers over the old town.
16th century, was built in the
Flamboyant Gothic style.
Visitors from all over the world come
to visit its spectacular stained-glass
windows and mysterious labyrinth.
Begun in 1020, the Romanesque cathedral
was destroyed by fire in 1194. Rebuilt in A network of ribs
just 25 years, few alterations were made supports the
to the church after 1250, and fortunately, vaulted ceiling.
Chartres was unscathed by the Wars of
Religion and the French Revolution. The
result is a Gothic cathedral with a true
“Bible in stone” rep utation. Donated by
royalty, aristocracy, priests and the mer­
chant brotherhoods between 1210 and
1240, its glorious col lection of stained
glass is world renowned. Around 176
windows illustrate biblical stories and
daily life in the 13th century. During both
World Wars the windows were dismantled
and removed for safety. There is an on­
going programme, begun in the 1970s,
to restore the windows in the cathedral.

Part of the original
Romanesque church, the
west front has three
windows dating from the
mid-12th century.

The central tympanum of
the Royal Portal (1145–55)
shows Christ in Majesty.

These statues on the
Royal Portal represent
Old Testament figures.

An illustration of
the magnificent
Chartres cathedral Labyrinth
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