Chartres (January 2018)
Cathedral Notre-Dame de Chartres:
The Chartres Cathedral is one of the
most beautiful and impressive Gothic cathedrals in Europe. Mostly built between
1194 and 1220 on the site of several previous smaller cathedrals, its overall
architecture is almost perfectly preserved, along with its numerous
12th-century statues and its magnificent 12th- and 13th-century stained-glass
windows.
West facade (12th, 13th, and 16th
centuries). The 105m-high spire on the right (south) was completed around 1160.
The 113m-high spire on the left (north) was erected in the early 16th century
on top of an older tower.
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Zoom on the west rose window.
West portal (also called Royal portal).
Central tympanum of the west portal,
with Christ in a mandorla surrounded by the 4
apocalyptic beasts. The arch consists of three rows of voussoirs,
the inner one depicting 12 angels and the other two 24 elders of the
Apocalypse. The lintel below Christ consists of the 12 apostles, plus Enoch and
Elijah at the extremities.
Statues representing biblical characters
on the sides of the three gates of the west portal.
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South facade.
Central porch of the south portal.
Tympanum above the central gate of the
south portal depicting the last judgement.
North side of the cathedral and statues
in the north portal.
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Clock pavilion on the north side of the
cathedral, below the north tower/spire. This pavilion and its clock were added
in 1520 following the erection of the north spire. The 24-hour clock has 48
rays marking each half-hour. It is still operational.
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Mechanism of the clock inside the
pavilion. [Source: https://visite-chartres.fr/le-pavillon-de-lhorloge/.]
Clerestory and flying buttresses on the
north side of the cathedral.
The flying buttresses seen from above.
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From left to right: nave, choir and
apse, and side alley (south side of the nave).
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The stained glass windows of the
cathedral cover a total area of about 2500 square meters. They are nearly all
originals. A few date from the 12th century, notably the three lancets of the
west facade, while most date from the 13th century during which they were
installed over a period of about 30 years. A large number of windows represent
the lives of saints or historic characters. See https://www.vitraux-chartres.fr/vitraux/
for more information.
- Left: south rose and lancets. Right:
west rose and lancets.
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- Zoom on the lancets below the south
rose.
- Left: window of the Chapel Vendome
(15th century). Right: zoom on a fragment of this window.
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- Left: lancet illustrating the life of
Saint Eustache. Right: zoom on a lower part of the lancet.
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- Left: lancet illustrating the life of
Saint Lubin, bishop of Chartres from 545 to 560.
Right: zoom on the lower part of the lancet.
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- LeftL life
of Saint Simon and Saint Jude. Right: zoom on four squares of the window.
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- Left: a window with two lancets
(zodiac and monthly activity on the left; life of the Virgin on the right).
Center: bottom four rows of the lancet on the left (zodiac). Right: second to
fourth rows (from the bottom) of the lancet on the right (life of the Virgin).
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- Left: life of Charlemagne. Right: life
of Saint Remi, bishop of Reims.
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- Left: life of Saint Etienne. Right:
life of Saint Mary-Magdalene.
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Sections of the choir screen. The upper
part of the screen consists of 40 niches, each with a distinct sculpted relief
representing a biblical scene or a scene from the life of the Virgin Mary.
These reliefs were created over a period of almost 200 years, from 1510 to
1720.
[The sculpture on left depicts the ritual
circumcision of the Jewish baby Jesus.]
Metallic roof (″charpente de fer″) built in
1837, following the destruction of the old lead-covered roof and its timber
supports.
In the crypt,
most of which dates from the 11th century:
- Chapel of
Our Lady of the Underground (Notre Dame de Sous-Terre).
- Wall painting dating from the 12th century.
Church Saint Aignan (16th century):
Exterior,
nave, and stained glass window (″Passion and Resurrection″, 19th
century).
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