The name Chartres is derived from the name of the Celtic tribe, the Carnutes, who founded the town. In about 50 BC, Julius Caesar’s Roman Legions took the town. In 858, Chartres was burned by the Normans. The counts of Blois and the counts of Champagne ruled the County of Chartres during the Middle Ages. In 1286, the town was sold to the king of France. It was occupied by the English, for about 15 years, between 1337 and 1453, during the Hundred Years' War. The town was unsuccessfully attacked by the Protestants during the Wars of Religion. In 1594, Henry IV was crowned king at the Cathédral de Chartres. Between 1940 and 1944, during World War II, the town was seriously damaged by bombing

The Cathédral de Notre-Dame

The first Christian church was undoubtedly erected at what is now Chartres during the time of religious peace brought about by the Emperor Constantine at the beginning of the 4th century. It was established on the place of the well of Saints-Forts, considered a source of miracles and probably the site of druidic worship. In 743, Hunaud, the duke of Aquitaine, burned down this first church. Shortly afterwards, a new church was reconstructed, but it was destroyed as well in June 858, by a fire taking place at the time of the sacking of the city by the Normans.

The bishop Gislebert embarked upon the reconstruction of a new church. He enlarged the foundations and spanned the Gallo-roman rampart by establishing the apse beyond them. The slope of the ground forced them to make an intermediate level, a "crypt", lit-up by windows. This crypt, which is the largest in France and one of the most important in the world, still exists today. In 962, a fire devastated the Carolingian cathedral. It was restored it as well as could be managed, but in 1020, a new fire completely destroyed it.

The bishop of Chartres was at that time the enterprising and influential Fulbert, famous theologian, adviser and correspondent of princes. He reconstructed the church with the desire to give Chartres a cathedral worthy of pilgrimage. The fame of the sanctuary was such that money was quickly found. The architect Béranger successfully managed the work with extraordinary speed, since in 1028, the year Fulbert died, the cathedral was almost completed. Consecrated in 1030, it was completely finished in 1037. It consisted of an immense crypt, a vast nave without transept, 105 m long by 34 m wide, two towers, no vault but a wood-framed roof. On June 10th, 1194, another fire devastated the city and the cathedral was almost entirely destroyed.

The current High Gothic Cathédral de Notre-Dame, located in the center of the town and at its highest point, was mostly built over a 30 year period during the mid 13th century. It was the first High Gothic cathedral to use flying buttresses. The cathedral is famous for the beauty of its south spire, its 150 12th and 13th century stained-glass windows, its more than 2,000 portrait like architectural sculptures of religious figures, and its Renaissance choir screen. The Clocher Neuf , built in 1513, is located on the cathedral’s northwest corner. It is the most prominent of the cathedral’s later additions, having been designed to balance the spire that had been built in 1145. The two spires rise to 378 and 350 feet respectively. The cathedral is one of the foremost examples of High Gothic architecture in north central France.

The Chartres Labyrinth

A renewed interest in labyrinths grew up in the Middle Ages and a design more complex than the classical seven-circuit labyrinth became popular. This was an eleven-circuit design divided into four quadrants. It was often found in Gothic Cathedrals but over time many of these eleven-circuit designs were destroyed or intentionally removed.

The most famous of these remaining labyrinths is at Chartres Cathedral. The labyrinth at Chartres was built around 1200 and is laid into the floor in a style sometimes referred to as a pavement maze. The original center piece has been removed and other areas of the labyrinth have been restored.

This labyrinth was meant to be walked as a pilgrimage and/or for repentance. As a pilgrimage it was a questing, searching journey with the hope of becoming closer to God. When used for repentance the pilgrims would crawl on their knees. Sometimes this eleven-circuit labyrinth would serve as a substitute for an actual pilgrimage to Jerusalem and as a result came to be called the "Chemin de Jerusalem" or Road of Jerusalem.

In walking the Chartres style labyrinth the pilgrim meanders through each of the four quadrants several times before reaching the goal. At the center is a rosette design which has a rich symbolic value including that of enlightenment. The four arms of the cross are readily visible and provide significant Christian symbolism.

Musée des Beaux-Arts

The Chartres Museum of Fine Arts is located in the former bishop's palace, it houses rich collections of old and modern art all year round, including works by Zurbaran, Chardin, Vlaminck and Soutine, an Oceanic collection and a set of Harpsichords from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

International Stained Glass Center

The International Stained Glass Center is a short distance from the cathedral. This unique Center, housed in the former "Grange aux Dîmes" - a listed Medieval storehouse - was founded in 1980. It displays the secrets of stained-glass art, both old and contemporary, offers introductory courses for children and adults, lecture-visits and a workshop open to the public. The complex and fascinating techniques of this art become accessible to us all. All the stages involved in the creation of a stained glass window are explained in a lively and comprehensive way, illustrating an art that is very much alive in Chartres today. It is an unforgettable discovery of the world of stained-glass makers from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Visiting Chartres

Chartres is about an hour away from Paris by rail or road and therefore makes an excellent day trip. Virtually every site of interest in within easy walking distance from the train station.