Chartres cathedral, seen in full from the south.
Chartres Cathedral (French: Notre-Dame de Chartres, Our Lady of Chartres) is a cathedral. It is in Chartres, about 80 km south of Paris. It is built in the Gothic style. Together with Amiens Cathedral and Reims Cathedral it is considered to be one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture (for churches) in France.
A church was inaugurated at the spot by Charles the Bald in the year 864. The cathedral as it stands now was built from 1194 to 1260. It was made a basilica minor in 1908. In 1964 it was made an World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Images for kids
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Chartres Cathedral by night
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The 1836 fire of Chartres Cathedral by François-Alexandre Pernot (1837)
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Inside the roof-space, the charpente de fer, built c. 1840
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Window of the Vendôme Chapel, c.1415
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Pythagoras on one of the archivolts over the right door of the west portal at Chartres
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The elevation of the nave, showing the gallery on the ground level; the narrow triforium; and, on top, the windows of the clerestory
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Flying buttresses supporting the upper walls and counterbalancing the outward thrust of the vaulted ceiling, allowing thin walls and greater space for windows
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Flying buttresses seen from above
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The vaults of the roof, connected by stone ribs to the pillars below, combined with the flying buttresses outside make possible thinner walls, and the great height and large windows of the Cathedral
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The Flamboyant Gothic North Tower (finished 1513) (left) and older South Tower (1144–1150) (right)
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Detail of the South Tower
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Detail of the Flamboyant Gothic North Tower
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The clock pavilion, with a 24-hour astronomical clock
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Central tympanum of the Royal portal. Christ seated on a throne, surrounded by the symbols of the Evangelists; a winged man for St. Matthew, a lion for St. Mark; a bull for St. Luke; and an eagle for St. John.
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Jambs of the center doorway of the Royal Portal, with statues of the men and women of the Old Testament
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West portal, tympanum of left door. It depicts Christ on a cloud, supported by two angels, above a row of figures representing the labours of the months and signs of the Zodiac
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Saint Anne holding the infant Virgin Mary on the trumeau of the central portal of the north transept
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The tympanum over the center portal of the north transept. On the lintel are the Dormition (Death) and Assumption of the Virgin. Above is the Coronation of the Virgin: Mary, in her living body, will rule the heavens alongside her Son Christ.
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New Testament figures Simeon, John the Baptist, and Saint Peter, with his keys
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Christian Martyrs framing the South Portal (13th century); including the "Perfect Knight" Roland,(far left) and Saint George (second from right)
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Central doorway of the South Portal, with column statue of Christ. His feet rest on a lion and a dragon.
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Angel with a sundial on south facade
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Gargoyle on the North Tower, serving as a rain spout
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Detail of the South Tower, with statuary of Chimeras
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Detail on the South Portal depicting angels looking down upon hell
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Monsters and devils tempting Christians on the south portal
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Notre Dame de Piliers statue and chapel off the nave
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Fragment of a reputed veil of Virgin Mary, displayed in the Chapel of the Martyrs
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Lancet windows under the west rose window; the Jesse Window or genealogy of Christ (right); Life of Christ (center), and the Passion of Christ (left)
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Notre-Dame de la Belle-Verrière » or the Blue Virgin (c.1180 and 1225)
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Detail of the Notre-Dame de la Belle-Verrière
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The west rose window c. 1215
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North transept rose window, c. 1235
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South transept rose window, c. 1221–1230
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Scene from the Good Samaritan window; Christ tells the Good Samaritan parable to the Pharisees
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The Good Samaritan window
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Shoemakers at work in the Good Samaritan window
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The Well of the Saints Forts, in the Saint Fulbert Crypt
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12th century fresco in the Saint Lubin Crypt, showing the Virgin Mary on her throne of wisdom, with the Three Kings to her right and Savinien and Potenien to her left
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The altar (18th century) by Charles-Antoine Bridan
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Sculpture on the choir screen (16th–18th century)
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Chapel of Saint Piatus of Tournai, added in 1326 to the east of the apse
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Labyrinth in the gardens of the bishop
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Chapel of Saint Piatus of Tournai (left), apse of the cathedral and the old bishop's residence
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Early stages of cleaning and restoring the Choir of Chartres Cathedral (2009–2019)
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Chartres para niños