Chartres Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres)

Chartres Cathedral is a pristine Gothic Catholic church built in the early 13th century 96 km southwest of Paris. Erected on a hill in the western part of Chartres, the majestic building towers over the ancient town.

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Today it is a working temple where pilgrims from all over the world flock to worship the Virgin Mary’s tunic. According to legend, it was in this garment that Our Lady gave birth to Jesus. In honor of Mary, the church is officially named the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, or North-Dame de Chartres. In 1979, it was honored by the international community when it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Video: Chartres Cathedral

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History of the landmark

‘ A photograph of Shartrsk Cathedral in 1910

Over the years, the Gothic building of Chartres has survived many military conflicts, among the most recent being the massive Allied bombing raids that drove the Germans out of France during World War II. The city was badly damaged, but the cathedral was not only not destroyed, but didn’t even need restoration.

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‘ Entrance to Chartres Cathedral
‘ Window-rose of the northern transept
‘ Arcbutany of Chartres Cathedral

Cathedral interior

‘ South transept

On the three-tiered walls are 176 stained glass windows in rich bright red and blue colors. The secret of glass production for them has been lost, so in case of destruction of the stained glass windows it will not be possible to restore them in their original form. The subjects for the windows were chosen in a variety of ways: along with classical biblical scenes, they depict episodes from the life of the nobility, ordinary townspeople and peasants. Inside, there are almost no carved figures: local stone, which is difficult to work, is used for facing. Despite the abundance of windows, there is a mysterious semi-darkness inside the cathedral: the sunlight is dimmed by colored stained glass. The glass is constantly being restored and cleaned so that it still shines with rich shades of red, green and the famous shade of Chartres blue.

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‘ Sculptures on the carved wall separating the altar section‘
‘ Fragment of a labyrinth symbolizing the pilgrims’ path to the Holy Land
‘ Inside the cathedral
‘ Chartres Cathedral Choir

Tourist Information

Chartres Cathedral is the main attraction of the city, around which all establishments catering to tourists are centered. 100 meters from the southeast aisle of the building in a house with five hundred years of history on Rue de la Poissonri 8-10 is the tourist office. Here guests will be advised where to stay, eat, what else is worth seeing in Chartres and its surroundings, offered souvenirs, printed and electronic guides, guided tours. The office is open daily until 5-6 pm.

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There are 4 small hotels within walking distance of the cathedral, with several more open within a 10 minute walk. Next to the cathedral, in the former palace of the Bishop of Chartres, is the Museum of Fine Arts with a good collection of 18th century paintings and antique harpsichords. You can grab a bite to eat at any of the dozens of nearby cafes and restaurants, the most budget-friendly option being a McDonald’s built 300 meters southwest of the attraction.

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Opening hours and services

Access to Chartres Cathedral is open to tourists daily from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm. The entrance is equipped with a ramp for citizens with limited mobility and all corners of the basic level of the cathedral are accessible to them. At the entrance there is a souvenir store, the store “Crypt” is located outside the building, in the southern portal. In addition to the traditional magnets and postcards, the assortment includes models of the cathedral, souvenirs in the form of stained glass windows and labyrinths. By the way, the tradition of trade in the temple has been going on since it was built: once there was a food market right in the building, which did not interfere with the service in the slightest.

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‘ Astronomical clock
‘ class=”fancybox” >The facade of Shartsk Cathedral

How to get to Chartres Cathedral

By car from Paris, Chartres can be reached by taking the A6 highway towards Bordeaux, then the A10 and A11 highways towards Nantes. Travel time will be just over an hour, and there are toll sections of road. The free alternative is via Dréux on the N12, which is one and a half times longer. There is ample parking near the cathedral.

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From Paris’ Montparnasse station, trains to Chartres depart on average once an hour. Tourist buses from the capital stop about 300 meters from Notre Dame de Chartres, on Rue Georges Fessard. There are airplanes from Paris Orly to Chartres, but the travel time savings will only be about 20 minutes. A free local bus in the distinctive yellow color runs between the main attractions every 20 minutes between early morning and 7pm.

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