Chartres Cathedral

I felt that the picture provided in the lectures did not do this cathedral justice. It is an example of gothic architecture on a monumental scale. The cathedral that stands in Chartres now, is the final design of the building after a fire in 1194. It took a mere 26 years to rebuild Chartres Cathedral into the master piece it is now.

Many things draw me to this cathedral. Just to name a few, the mystery, the symbolism, the speed in which it was built, the veil of the virgin housed within it, and the secrecy of the stained glass windows. The more I read, the more enthralled I become. I have read the history of the ground the cathedral is built upon all the way back to Druidic times. The history of the grounds and the multiple incarnations of the church are fascinating. I could fill several reports with the information I have found, but as it stands, I will focus on the cathedral’s final incarnation.

Aside from the unusual astrological symbolism incorporated in the cathedral’s design, Chartres has many of the typical qualities of a gothic style cathedral. Starting from the inside and working my way I out I note the vaulted ceilings. This allowed for greater height and weight in the walls and ceilings. Also used were pointed arches, which helped to support more weight as well. The pointed arches served another purpose in allowing for wider windows. To hold the weight of the vaulted ceilings from the outside, as well as holding the weight of the roof, and to keep the structure from collapsing, the flying buttress was created.

Chartres Cathedral has no noted architect. Some give partial credit to the Knights Templar, while others say the cathedral was built by the 9,000 members of the community at that time. I have no doubt that both theories are true, yet finding unbiased information about the Knights Templar is difficult. There is also no record of the progress of the building of the Chartres Cathedral. Again, the mysteries