Chartres Cathedral Pages in Paradoxplace

The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Chartres

We first experienced the magic of Chartres during a rather rushed half day visit in 2005. In September 2007 Team Paradox returned for a more thorough two day exploration and photo shoot, particularly of some of the narrative stained glass windows and the three three-door portals. The results of this will migrate through to these pages during 2008.

Links to Paradoxplace pages on the Stained Glass windows of Chartres Cathedral

Chartres Windows' Photos

The Chartres North Rose Window

The Chartres Zodiac Window

DETAILS: A: Aquarius to Taurus B: Cancer to Capricorn

The Chartres Thomas Becket Window

The West Rose Window

The present cathedral of Chartres is at least the fifth on the site. With the exception of the mid 1100s West Front (above) and the crypt, the bulk of the of the present structure dates from the thirty year rebuild after a disastrous fire in 1194. This transformed Chartres into the first of the "soaring gothic cathedrals" and now the only one to still have much of its 1100s, 1200s and 1300s narrative stained glass windows and sculptures intact (not to mention a labyrinth).

Above: The West Front - the oldest part of the cathedral (mid 1100s) - incorporating the Royal (West) Portal surmounted by lancet windows (detail below) and rose (above right) depicting the Last Judgement.

This pocket sized guide to Chartres Cathedral (in English) is the best detailed guide we have come across. It details almost every window scene and individual statue inside and outside the cathedral, even including archivolt cycles.

KEY (note, the Cathedral faces NE)
1	Royal Portal	Mid 1100s (rescued from1194 fire)
2	Jesse, Incarnation, Passion & Resurrection windows	Mid 1100s (rescued from1194 fire)
3	Labyrinth	The last surviving original medieval cathedral labyrinth
4	West Rose Window (Last Judgement) (above)	c1215 during post fire rebuild
7	South Rose Window (Second Coming) & Lancet Windows (2007 closed for extensive restoration)	c1225
8	South Portal	c1225
10	Blue Virgin Window	Mid 1100s (rescued from 1194 fire)
13	North Rose Window & Lancet Windows	c1235
14	North Portal	Early 1200s

The three rescued 1100s windows under the West Rose. Left: The Passion and Resurrection Window; Centre: The Incarnation Window; Right: The Jesse Window. Below: Detail from the Incarnation Window.

The West (aka Royal) Portal the oldest (c1155) and least elaborate of the three portals - some zodiac signs are to be found in the archivolts of the left hand doorway. The symbols of the four evangelists surround a mandorlaed Christ in the central tympanum.

Above and Below: Royal Portal sculptures

The morning sun shines on the apse of Chartres Cathedral

The North Portal (early 1200s) in the evening September sun (Zodiacs and monthly labours are in the outer archivolts of the left hand doorway). Because the North Portal is not in the main pedestrian drag, there are a lot fewer people round here, and most of them are looking closely at their guides to identify the story lines.

The North Rose and Lancet Windows over the North Portal. The windows were given to the Cathedral in 1230 by Queen Blanche of Castile.

Link to 2007 photos of the North Rose ensemble

The South Rose and Lancet Windows, c1225 (photographed in 2005). By 2007 the south end of the transept was covered in scaffolding for a major restoration.

The South Portal (c 1225) (photographed in 2005 pre scaffolding)

Narrative sculpture (Medieval Cavalier Magi) in the ambulatory

The Magi in Art and Sculpture

The nave and its famous inlaid labyrinth, which was built c1200. In those days most cathedrals had them, but now there's just Chartres (unless you count Amiens, whose severe looking tiled octagonal model was destroyed in early 1800s "renovations" then reinvented 70 years later). Which is why it is odd that it spends most of it's time under rows of chairs - this photo was taken on a Friday morning in mid June (2005) and whilst would be labyrinth watchers and walkers weigh the odds in their favour on Fridays, a successful sighting is by no means certain .... if it's important it's best to do more research.