3. History of Chartres Cathedral  It is believed that a church has existed where the current church is since the fourth century  Due to fires, the church has been rebuilt several times  The current church was built between 1194 to 1260  Only the crypt, the base of the towers, and the west facade survived the fires

4.  Length 130 m (1 ½ football fields)  Width of nave: 16.4 m  Height of vaults: 37 m  Romanesque tower (south): 107.5 m  Jehan of Beauce tower (north): 114 m Dimensions

6. south tower was built in the 12 th century north tower was added in the 16 th century Cruciform

7. Etched in Stone  Numerical symbolism is embedded in the design of the church   four directions, four winds, four seasons, four rivers of paradise

8. Gothic Style  Pointed arch  ribbed vaulting  flying buttresses  enlarged sanctuary  cruciform layout

9. Stained glass windows green=immortality/life dark blue=Virgin Mary light blue=peace red= charity/blood of Christ/Christ’s passion orange=speaking in tongue or in the words of Jesus purple=royalty  Jesus from line of David/Jesse Tree white= purity/innocence/ holy spirit yellow/gold= power/glory/halo/gates of heaven

12. Rose Windows  Rose windows are the apex of stained glass development. The stained glass windows contained sacred medieval imagery. The windows of Chartres are divided into three categories: 1) The lower windows recount life stories or stories taken from the Bible 2) The upper windows include figures of saints illustrated in monu-mental manner 3) The three large rose windows proclaim the glory of Christ and the Virgin.

13.  Column statues depict 19 of the 22 original Old Testament figures.  Christ is carved in the middle of the three royal portals

14.  Walking a labyrinth is a form of prayer and meditation that comes from a Christian tradition of the 12th and 13th centuries. Labyrinths are metaphors for the pilgrim’s spiritual journey.

15.  A piece of fabric believed to have been worn by the Virgin Mary as she gave birth to Jesus.  Because of this relic, Chartres became a major pilgrimage center.

16. The Crypt  The crypt of Chartres Cathedral is the largest in France.  Dating from the 11th century  Initially the well was located at the exterior of the first church, the well later was built inside of the crypt  The well is called the “Saints-Forts”  The bodies of the first Chartrian martyrs were thrown into the well

22. Early-Late Gothic