Chartres - Cathédrale Notre-Dame

There have been five cathedrals on this site. One was destroyed by Visigothic troops mid of the 8th century. The successive cathedral was burnt down by Vikings ("Danes") in 858. The carolingian structure that was erected within the next decades was burnt down in 962 by troops led by Richard I of Normandy (aka "Richard the Fearless", "Richard Sans-Peur").

The rebuilding started again, but whatever was completed got destroyed by a fire, caused accidently, in 1020. The erection of a Romanesque cathedral started and most of the still existing crypt dates back to that building.

In 1134, another fire damaged the town and large parts of the cathedral. The towers got repaired and rebuilt and the portal between them got created. Another blaze hit the town in June 1194. The cathedral was burnt down. Construction works started the same year. The western towers and the undamaged western portal ("Portail Royal") got integrated into the new building.

The nave was already vaulted in 1220, the transept and the stained windows were completed in 1260. On 24 October 1260, only 66 years after the start of construction, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame was consecrated in the presence of Louis IX of France (aka "Saint Louis", "le Prudhomme").

Since Charles the Bald, Louis the Pious´ son, had given the "Sancta Camisia" to the cathedral in 876. Because of this "Veil of the Virgin" Chartres developed into a very important Marian pilgrimage center in medieval times.

The "Portail Royal" is part of the cathedral´s western façade. This portal survived the fire, that destroyed the preceding cathedral in 1194. The portal was carved by 1150, a visible transition from Romanesque to Gothic style.

The central part of the "Portail Royal", seen here, depicts the Last Judgment. Christ, enthroned in a mandorla, surrounded by the symbols of the Four Evangelists.

The jamb statues, flanking the doors, are clearly elongated and very elegant. They depict kings, queens and figures from the Old Testament. Here are the upper bodies of the three of the portal´s left side. The lady has some really long braids!

Some authors describe the facial expression of these statues as "arrogant". Well, I do not have the impression, that they look arrogant. They show a certain "distance" as they do not face the onlookers. They all just focus on a point behind the horizon. About 50 years later similar statues even showed a smile (eg Reims).