Chartres Old Town

Chartres, France

Chartres old town is located to the banks of the Eure River, which at this point divides into three branches. The rives is crossed by several bridges, some of them ancient, and is fringed in places by remains of the old fortifications. The Porte Guillaume (14th century), a gateway flanked by towers, is the most complete specimen. The steep, narrow streets of the old town contrast with the wide, shady boulevards which encircle it and divide it from the suburbs. The Cbs St Jean, a pleasant park, lies to the north-west, and squares and open spaces are numerous.

TheHotel de ville, a building of the 17th century (containing a museum and library), an older hotel de ville of the 13th century, and several medieval and Renaissance houses, are points of interest. There is a statue of General F. S. Marceau-Desgraviers (b. 1769), a native of the town.

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Address

Pont Bouju, Chartres, France
See all sites in Chartres

Details

Founded: 9th century
Category: Historic city squares, old towns and villages in France
Historical period: Frankish kingdoms (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Lana Hester (3 years ago)
What a beautiful Cathedral! We got a walk through, and admired all the beautiful glass windows. We stayed for mass, even though we did not know the language very well. It was well worth the trip from Paris.
Kathelijne Van Gampelaere (3 years ago)
Beautiful Roman Catholic cathedral in Chartres, about 80 km southwest of Paris. It is considered 'the high point of French Gothic art' and is truly a masterpiece, not only by Unesco, wo designates this cathedral a World Heritage Site. This cathedral is well-preserved and well-restored. The majority of the original stained glass windows survived intact. If you are lucky enough to pay a visit on a bright sunny day, the colors are just radiant. Entrance is free, but gifts are most welcomed for further and future restoration.
Silvio Casagrande (3 years ago)
Incredible cathedral and the restoration process shows how it should have been seen in the middle ages. Many things to check, starting from the vitraux, but do not miss the labyrinth in the floor around the middle of the nave. There are guide visits to the cathedral: check the times to make sure you can do it. I missed the last one on the day (starts 1600hd). I'll need to go back!
Andrey Novoselov (3 years ago)
The best-preserved example of Gothic architecture in France, renowned for its Chartres blue stained glass. French Gothic architecture reached its most coherent expression in Chartres Cathedral. Many medieval cathedrals took decades or even centuries to build, resulting in a patchwork of architectural styles, but not Chartres. When the town’s old Romanesque cathedral burned down in 1194, the local community pulled together to complete a new cathedral in just 26 years. Consequently, the new cathedral was wholly Gothic: cruciform in shape with two towers on the west facade, a curved apse and radiating chapels, and filled with height and light. Its vault rises 112 ft (34 m) above the nave floor; its walls are largely composed of stained glass. Original features. Few medieval buildings have remained as untouched as Chartres Cathedral. Much of its 32,000 square ft (3,000 square m) of stained glass dates from the early 13th century, as do the narrative sculptures around the cathedral’s portals and a tiled labyrinth that leads pilgrims around the floor of the nave.
Dr.Gabriel Androne (4 years ago)
The unique Cathedral on the Planet where all the religions can pray!
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