Chartres - The Cathedral City — Tuljak! Travel Blog

A few iconic buildings loom large in my consciousness as a practicing architect. Thorncrown Chapel, Villa Savoye, Villa Tugendhat, and the Salk Institute are among them. You may notice they are all mid-20th-century buildings, but that doesn’t mean I dislike classical architecture. On the contrary, I consider myself an aficionado of classical churches. Whenever Brian and I traveled somewhere, he bemoaned that I spent too much visiting churches. Even though he grew up Catholic, it was almost as if he was allergic to anything to do with the church. As a non-Christian, I find the history of the Catholic Church endlessly fascinating.

The Fine Arts Museum of Chartres is located in the former Bishop’s Palace.

I think my fascination with churches started after I took a class in medieval architecture from Professor Ousterhoust in college. It was one of those classes that every student loved to hate and became a butt of a joke. I was probably the only student in class that took the class that took the class seriously. As a result, I learned a lot and developed a unique interest in “reading” churches and fortresses. I also inadvertently learned a lot about historical figures such as Charlemagne and Joan of Arc.

France was the epicenter when it came to the development of medieval architecture. Notre-Dame de Paris may be the most famous. However, the Notre-Dame in Paris could not hold the candle to the cathedral in Chartres. Chartres Cathedral is considered Europe’s best Gothic church, not because of its size but for its role in architectural history. Many would even go as far as referring to it as the “granddaddy of Gothic architecture.” But despite its significance, Chartres was hardly on the tourist trail for American travelers. It seems Rick Steves was the only prominent promoter of Chartres out there.

When planning a family trip to the Loire Valley, I finally had the perfect opportunity to stop in Chartres. Located about ninety minutes southwest of central Paris, Chartres seemed ideal for our first day in France. Because this trip was organized quite last minute, I did not spend much time researching much about the town. After all, I felt I knew so much about this cathedral. Seeing the cathedral alone is enough of a reason to make a stop here. It has been more than ten years since my last visit to France, so I just hoped the town of Chartres would be as charming as its cathedral.

After picking up our rental car at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, we made a feeling toward Chartres. As expected, the traffic around Paris was atrocious, but fortunately, the tunnels along the A86 motorway saved us. At 6.3 miles in length, this is the longest urban tunnel in the world. Since we were all exhausted from the red-eye flight, we didn’t mind the €10 toll. The town Chartres is located in the Beauce Region, the breadbasket of France. The fertile wheat fields immediately transported me back to the American Midwest.

I just can’t get over how quaint French cities are.

As soon as we got off the highway, I had glimpses of the cathedral’s spires. The town Chartres is positioned on top of a small hill. The spires looked as if they were pulled toward heaven by angels. I quickly understood how the church towered over the town physically and metaphorically. After all these years, I can’t help being a little emotional seeing this fabled structure. My parents asked me in the car why this was the most important Gothic church in the world. Oddly enough, the architectural fanboy within me can’t articulate the greatness of the cathedral succinctly. Hopefully, I could better articulate the reason once we arrived at the cathedral.

Given our limited time, we stayed at Hôtel Mercure Chartres Centre Cathédrale, close to the city center. While the hotel is nothing fancy, staying at a Mercure for our first night in France seemed very fitting. For convenience, we parked at the underground garage beneath the main square, Place des Épars. Hidden within the garage is a remnant of the Chartre’s original fortification discovered during the excavation. This type of serendipitous encounter is a reminder that we were in Europe!

We started exploring Chartres ' historic center because it was still too early to check into our hotel. It has been more than ten years since I last visited Spain, so I was curious to see whether French cities are as quaint as I remembered. I mostly stayed in Paris and its immediate suburbs during my earlier trip. This would indeed be my first time exploring “provincial” France. As it turned out, the French sensibility toward design and urbanism did stop in Paris. The average storefront in Chartres is prettier than any shop on New York’s Fifth Avenue. Even a simple butcher shop is beautifully designed like a high-end boutique.

The beautiful wrought-iron pavilion on the Place Billard.

Perhaps because our visit was outside the peak season, the city appeared quiet and nearly half-abandoned. One thing particularly striking for me was just how clean and tidy the streets are. Chartres is like a typical French town in movies: pastel-colored houses, shuttered windows, and street cafes. It immediately put me into a vacation mood. As mentioned previously, I knew little about the town besides the cathedral. I was happy to wander around and get lost. Evitably, all the streets in Chartes led to the cathedral. I was beyond excited when we were finally at the foot of the cathedral.

Before setting foot into the cathedral, we had lunch at a restaurant with a view of the cathedral. I felt unreal to have a glass of wine in front of the cathedral with my parents. I only wish Brain could join us for this moment. The three-course lunch at Bistrot Racines Chartres was gourmet and wonderfully French. As wonderful as the food was, I was particularly delighted by the logo on the bottle of lemonade we ordered. The distinctively mismatched spires depicted in the logo are wonderfully Chartres.

After lunch, it was finally time to check out the cathedral. We entered through the portals of the south transept. The grandiosity of this entrance was striking. Surrounding the porticos is an impressive collection of saints guarding the entrance. Completed in the 13th century, this is the newest part of the building. It is specifically devoted to the crucifixion of Christ and the martyrdom of early Christians. As usual, the middle entrance is anchored by a statue of Jesus and surrounded by the twelve apostles. I tried to recall the Christian symbolism associated with each apostle, such as Peter with his key and Saint James’s scallop shells.

As is the case for most Medieval cathedrals, Chartres Cathedral was built upon an earlier pre-Christian site. The first/original cathedral was constructed here no later than the 4th century. Allegedly, the church was built atop a 110-foot well of Celtic origin. Due to Chartres’ strategic location, Chartres has been settled since the ancient time. According to legend, the Romans executed Christians by throwing them down. For those in the know, visitors could still visit this well in the cathedral’s crypt.

Chartres has historically been a prosperous town because of the agricultural productivity of the Beauce region. But what put Chartres on the amp was the arrival of the Sancta Camisa, the relic of the Virgin’s veil, from Constantinople. The Marian cult was especially popular in Medieval France, making Sancta Camisa one of the most important relics in the realm. While there are many alleged relics of the holy veil all across Europe, most agree that the veil in Chartres has the best provenance. The Byzantine Empress Irene gifted the veil to Charlemagne, whose grandson King Charles the Bald deposited it to the Chartres Cathedral in 876.

It was a great surprise to see the sign of Camino de Santiago here.

Like all relics, there are plenty of tales of the miraculous powers. The most famous incident took place during a 911 siege by the Vikings. Allegedly, the bishop brought out the Sancta Camisa and miraculously “blinded” the Norsemen, leading to their defeat. Throughout the ages, many people attributed different miracles to the veil and put Chartres firmly on the pilgrimage map. It made Chartres an immensely wealthy town. The pilgrimage trail between Paris and Chartres is said to be one of the most popular in its days. I even saw a familiar scallop shell plaque of Camino de Santiago before the cathedral.

When the Romanesque cathedral burned down in 1020, the prestige of Chartres meant the bishop had little trouble fundraising for its rebuilding from Rome and monarchs across Europe. The rebuilding process at Chartres was somewhat of a seminal event. The wealth and prestige of Chartres drew in guilds of all trades, from stone masons to glass makers. There were so many tradesmen in town that it created a religious fervor that galvanized the entire population. Citizens of all classes volunteered their labor as a display of public devotion. The phenomenon is called the "Cult of the Carts".

Amazingly, the rebuilding of Chartres Cathedral took only thirty years. While that may seem like a long time, it was unprecedented in the medieval time. In context, most Medieval cathedrals took a hundred to three hundred years to complete. Not only was the progress so swift, but they also kept a detailed record of who worked on the project, which was highly unusual in Medieval times. Because the building was completed so quickly, Chartres was celebrated for its architectural harmony and cohesiveness. Stylistically, the cathedral is classified as a combination of “Classic Gothic” and “High Gothic” architecture. But curiously, the two spires of the cathedral are completely different in height and style despite being only ten years apart.

The Royal Portico of Chartres Cathedral.

Apart from the holy relics, the most celebrated items in Chartres are the cathedral’s massive stained glass windows. Compared to Early Gothic cathedrals like the Basilica of Saint-Denis, Chartres Cathedral is noted for its massive windows that let in an enormous amount of light. Stained glass windows serve not only as decoration but also as an important propaganda tool. When few commoners were literate, stained glass was the most effective tool in telling the Bible's stories or the church's history.

At Chartres, there are 167 windows, which cover an area of just under 28,000 square feet. The imagery inside each window bay is arranged like a comic book. The image sequence goes from left to right and bottom to top. However, it would be difficult for non-Christians like myself to decipher the significance and meanings of the imagery. Even for devoted Catholics, it would be a challenge to interpret the stained glass without knowledge of medieval theology. Some scholars spent a lifetime studying and researching the stained glass at Chartres.

The famous stained glass window of Chartres Cathedral.

One such person is historian Malcolm Miller, who led daily guided tours here for over five decades and devoted a whole to the cathedral. While he is now semi-retired, his colleague Anne Marie Woods has picked up the mantel in providing insightful guided tours in English. For €18 a person, the 90-minute tour should give visitors a deep and personal understanding of the infamous stained glass. Sadly, we did not get to join her tour during our visit. It may just be enough of a motivation for a return visit!

Among the greatest cathedrals in Europe, Chartres Cathedral’s stained glass is celebrated for its distinctive colors and styles. Particularly noteworthy is the deep blue color of the stained glass. Even in its time, the blue-colored glass, commonly called “Chartres Blue,” achieved great acclaim for its richness and vibrancy. The lost recipe for Chartres Blue has become a legend and a source of fascination, even to this day. While the experts know the intense blue comes from a combination of cobalt oxide and aluminum oxide, nobody could replicate the magic of Chartres Blue.

Historically, the citizens of Chartres take the custodians of their stained glass very seriously. At the outbreaks of both world wars, the people of Chartres dissembled the millions of stained glass and put them in secret locations for safekeeping. Million pieces were taken apart individually by hand and carefully packed away. That was a monumental task and particularly impressive in the pre-digital era. When the German troops arrived in Chartres, they found a cathedral with no window. Due to the stewardship of the people of Chartres, the cathedral’s stained glass is considered the largest and most complete medieval collection today.

Because of the never-ending conservation program, Chartres is still home to the largest concentration of stained glass artisans in France today. Northwest of the cathedral are several galleries and stained glass workshops. Visiting Chartres International Stained Glass Center is worthwhile for those who have extra time. This small but well-curated public museum provides an overview of the development of stained glass. But the exhibit’s highlights were undoubtedly the sections on the restoration of the town’s cathedral.

The central tympanum of the Royal Portico.

Although the stained glass is the obvious highlight, the cathedral’s collection of Gothic sculptures is also considered among France's best. Each of the three portals is richly decorated with monumental sculptural groups. Each portal tells a different aspect of Jesus’s role in this world: his earthly incarnation, ascension, and “Second Coming.” The most important of the three is the Western Portal, commonly called the Royal Portal. It is the oldest section of the facade and predated the 1194 fire. The image of Christ at the central tympanum, the semi-circular surface above the door, is particularly famous for its stylistic achievements.

The choir screen of Chartres is an artistic masterpiece and has been listed as a national monument.

But to be honest, I was not particularly educated in Medieval sculptures. Without the necessary education in medieval theology, Gothic sculptures could appear quite primitive compared to their Renaissance or Baroque counterparts. For most visitors, its massive choir screen is the most impressive sculpture at Chartres. The choir wall is over three hundred feet long and twenty feet tall. The sculpture group here is a fine example of the transition between High Gothic and Renaissance in France. Their lifelike appearance and use of perspectives are particularly striking. Over forty sculpture groups of the choir screen are works by some of the finest artists in France. The choir screen took a lot longer to complete than it took to construct the cathedral.

Personally, the most enigmatic feature of Chartres Cathedral is its famous labyrinth. For those who are not familiar with medieval labyrinths, they are in-ground pavements that were designed to be a path of pilgrimage. Unlike a maze, there is only one viable path to the destination, and it is used as a tool for meditative walk and prayer. Following the labyrinth's winding path is meant to simulate the twists and turns of one’s life. In-ground labyrinths were quite common in Gothic churches, but most were often removed later as they were deemed a visual distraction during religious services. Ironically, Chartres’s labyrinth is obscured by rows of chairs on most days. The full splendor of the labyrinth was only possible on Fridays when chairs were removed to allow visitors to walk the labyrinth.

Most of the grand labyrinths that survive are all from Gothic cathedrals in France, most notably at Amiens and Reims. However, the labyrinth at Chartres is by far the most famous and the most elaborate. There has been a resurgent interest in religious labyrinths in the modern era. The pattern in Chartres has been replicated worldwide over the centuries. A South Carolina-based company “Labyrinth Company” made a business out of recreating thousands of reproductions for private and institutional clients. For about $31,000, you could get a life-size replica for your own backyard!

As much as I enjoyed my visit, the one thing about Chartres Cathedral that struck me was the restoration efforts. The conversation team has removed layers of soot and dirt from stained glass and the church’s masonry and sculptures for over twenty years. The once darkened exterior is now boney white. The restored interiors were jarring as they removed centuries of “historic patina” that visitors are expecting. After the scaffolding came down, many were shocked and disturbed by what they saw. A debate ensued about the merits of restoration in France and abroad. There was even a public campaign to halt any further restoration. Some went as far as calling it an act of hi-tech vandalism.

I also fell victim to this “nostalgia and romanticism of the dirt.” Since the Middle Ages is also commonly referred to as the Dark Ages, we naturally thought of churches of this era as dark and full of mysticism. After the initial shock, I could start appreciating the intent behind the restoration. Although the word “whitewashing” definitely came to mind, we must put ourselves in the mindset of medieval worshipers. There is no reason to believe they would prefer a darkened place of worship. Letting in maximum daylight was the purpose of Gothic architecture, after all. Why are we so obsessed with the gloomy interior anyway?

The artistry of the show was just stunning.

Speaking of authenticity, medieval churches of the 12th century were neither dark nor white. Most statues at Chartres were vividly painted back in the day. Today, we are used to seeing whitewashed sculptures in churches or museums. In reality, most sculptures in the West are most often painted. It was not until the Renaissance that artists began to leave out the colors on statues. To get a different perspective on the original colors of Chartres Cathedral, visitors could experience the vibrant colors during the nightly sound and light shows.

Lights of Chartres (Chartres en Lumières) is the nightly show that began in 2003. For eight months out of the year, the city put on an impressive show after night’s fall. It is now an integral part of the city’s tourism trade. Fifteen of the city’s most celebrated monuments are lit up with music and narration each night. Of course, the main show took place on the western facade of the cathedral. The projected animation covers the history of the cathedral, from the arrival of Sancta Camisa to the Nazi invasion. The show was mesmerizing and informative. Part of the fun was to see everyone standing still and in awe of the spectacle.

Although Chartres may be a convenient day trip from Paris, the sound and light show alone is one good reason to spend a night here, in my opinion. The 10-minute show ran continuously until midnight and is free of charge. I can’t help marveling at the show's artistry and engineering know-how. This was the most impressive light and sound show I have ever seen. The juxtaposition between the 12th-century cathedral and modern technology was especially interesting. I would have never in a million thought I got to enjoy Chartres Catherine in such an unexpected manner.

Given our jetlag and limited time in Chartres, we did not get to explore every nook and cranny of the city. Besides the Museum of Fine Arts, we did not get to explore Chartres’s many other monuments and cultural institutions. I would love to have time to drive around the city’s outskirts to admire the cathedral from afar. This is the ultimate city of the cathedral. As usual, there was never enough time. However, I suppose this was just another reason for a return visit.

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