Introduction
Understanding the place
Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral is one of the great European Gothic ensembles, famous for its stained glass, sculpture and labyrinth of its nave.
To be retained
- Masterpiece of Gothic art
- Remarkable medieval stained glass
- High symbolic value labyrinth
- Place of worship still alive
History and context
After the 1194 fire, the building was largely rebuilt in a few decades, while retaining older parts. Its architecture, carved portals and an exceptional set of medieval stained glass windows form a coherent religious and educational program.
Why is this place spiritual?
The cathedral is a place of Catholic worship and an ancient Marian pilgrimage centre, and it organizes the space around the liturgy, light and biblical accounts. The maze, drawn in the pavement, is sometimes covered as an image of the inner way, according to modern practices.
What the landscape makes you feel
The two asymmetrical arrows point to the monument in the plain. Inside, the passage from the exterior to the deep blue of the glass windows alters the perception of time and scale. The visitor gains to observe slowly rather than to look for a unique symbol.
Energy, atmosphere and feelings
Modern esoteric readings sometimes attribute extraordinary land-based or geometrical properties to Chartres, and must be distinguished from the history of architecture and the liturgy, even if they bear witness to the imaginative power of the place.
Discover with respect
- The behaviour and behaviour of the person is appropriate for an active place of worship.
- Do not interfere with celebrations or prayer times.
- Present esoteric readings as interpretations, not as established facts.
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