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.
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.