Henry Adams and Other Guides to Chartres
by hquittner
Henry Brooks Adams (1838-1918) was the fourth son of a congressman and ambasador to England as well as grandson and great-grandson of two presidents. Aside from a stint as an Assistant Professor of History at Harvard and a multivoume seminal work in American History, he led a pasive life at the edge of high level politics. He was relatively rich as the result of inheritance and investment prowess. He wrote sparingly on the "science of historical theory" until he was 75 when he first privately published his "travel book" titled "Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres (1904) and an autobiography of his intellectual growth "The Education of Henry Adams" (1918), both publicly printed at that time and reprinted continually thereafter. They are each leisurely reads. The Chartres book is also a fine introduction to the 11-13C.
If you are to enjoy Chartres Cathedral to its fullest (not to just glance at and be bedazzled), please buy a guide book( the bigger the better) at the cathedral bookstore and be sure to bring binoculars. At the bookstore inquire about the tours given by the remarkable Malcolm Miller and try to go with his group. Be sure that the book(s) you buy are by him. If he is not there you may be able to purchase one of his videos. If you are up to it, read about Chartres on the train ride out from Paris. Tear out and bring with you the pages from the appropriate Rick Steves, Blue Guide or Michelin (most of my guide books are bound by heavy rubber bands at home). Enjoy! The West Front Statues
The Statues
by Goner
Inside the cathedral there is a round section of carvings that depict times in the life of Christ. Each section is numbered as you can see in the picture. Each is a masterpiece itself. I haven't found any information on this series of carvings, so don't know when they were done or who made these carvings. This is such an amazing church, I would love to go back and take another look - just unforgetable.
Don't miss this incredible folk art
by rexvaughan
MAISON PICASSIETTE
This amazing house and garden is literally covered with excellent and beautiful mosaics done by a local man who collected shards of glass and colored crockery and did this in his spare time. In some ways it is even more remarkable than the famous cathedral in Chartres. It is on the opposite side of town from the train station and is about a 20 minute walk from the cathedral. Coupled with a visit to the cathedral, seeing Maison Picassiette will leave you thinking Chartres has special inspiration for artists.
The main photo is a panoramic so click it to see the full expanse of the garden wall and walkway.
The Cathedral of Chartres
by Erin74
The spot on which the majestic cathedral of Chartres now stands was previously the site of several other, less magnificent churches. Druids once held ceremonies here, a Christian church was located here in the 4th Century B.C. and again in the 6th Century B.C.
In 876 B.C., the "Veil of the Virgin" (supposedly a piece of clothing worn by Mary at the birth of Jesus and a sacred relic) was given to the church. Catholics made pilgrimages to the site to see this cloth and it was decided that a more extraordinary church should be built to house it. That church was destroyed by a fire in 1194, and was rebuilt as the masterpiece of gothic architecture that still stands today.
This church is amazing. Even if you've seen a lot of churches in your travels, this one is special and humbling. It's massive in size and features some of the most gorgeous stained glass windows you're likely to see in your life. Each window tells a particular Biblical story and is filled with color and symbolism. The tympanum boasts ornate Romanesque carvings that were really impressive. There is a crypt (which was not open for tours when we were there) which holds the remains of the relic and a centuries-old well.
This Cathedral is so overwhelming that I highly recommend taking a tour to get the most out of your experience. We took the Malcolm Miller tour, which I'll devote another tip to because it was so fantastic.
Innocent Victims of War
by Rixie
This is a touching little memorial between the Chartres cathedral and the train station. It honors French children who have died in wars.
I thought it was odd, though, that the statue didn't depict children.
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Chartres en Lumieres
Twins at Chartres Cathedral, France
Saint Andrews church
The interior
