Chartres Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, is a Catholic church in Chartres, France, about 80 km southwest of Paris, and is the seat of the Bishop of Chartres. Mostly constructed between 1194 and 1220, it stands on the site of at least five cathedrals that have occupied the site since the Diocese of Chartres was formed as an episcopal see in the 4th century. It is one of the best-known and most influential examples of High Gothic and Classic Gothic architecture,
It stands on Romanesque basements, while its north spire is more recent (1507–1513) and is built in the more ornate Flamboyant style.
Image: Facade cathedral
Image: Chartres Cathédrale (2012.01) 08
Image: Chartres Cathédrale 16
Image: Cenral tympanum Chartres
Chartres is the prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir department in the Centre-Val de Loire region in France. It is located about 90 km (56 mi) southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 170,763 inhabitants in the metropolitan area of Chartres, 38,534 of whom lived in the city (commune) of Chartres proper.
Cityscape from Chartres Cathedral
Cathedral of Chartres
The famous "Chartres blue"
South elevation, lithography 1864