Chartres Cathedral

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres has dominated the small town of Chartres, France. Chartres cathedral is one of the most preserved cathedrals in the world and was built between 1194-1250 after the area was plagued by fires. With that being said, the cathedral and its significance holds a lot of history within its walls. During the middle ages Chartres cathedral was the most important building in town by serving as a marketplace and the holder of important relics. These attractions brought a wide amount of pilgrimage, and still does to its day. Chartres was built at one of the greatest times of gothic architecture, containing stain glass windows, flying buttresses, and even a labyrinth. The cathedral even has two different types of gothic bell towers. In the beginning, the land where Chartres cathedral was built on was previously plagued by numerous fires and attacks. Chartres cathedral managed to stay strong to this day, and was an important part of history in the middle ages when it came to pilgrimage.

Four cathedrals were either ruined or completely destroyed before the construction of Chartres began immediately in 1194. Chartres cathedral was built in only sixty years, and was equipped with the latest gothic architecture including magnificent stained glass windows. Most of the original stained glass windows remain in the cathedral, including three large rose windows. In order to accommodate the large windows, many flying buttresses, which were the archways on the outside of a building, were installed in order to let enormous amounts of light in through the stained glass. A labyrinth was also built in Chartres cathedral, making pilgrimage go hand in hand with architecture. It is believed that it was created as a road to Jerusalem while the dangerous crusades in Europe. Many pilgrims would go through the labyrinth on their knees for forgiveness from