Today I am going to write about the Cathedral that we are staying close to now. I hope you enjoy!

Chartres Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, is a medieval Catholic cathedral of the Latin Church located in the medieval town of Chartres about 80 kilometers southwest of Paris.

Not only is Chartres Cathedral one of the greatest achievements in the history of architecture, it is almost perfectly preserved in its original design and details.

Partly built under the direction of Bishop Fulbert of Chartres starting in 1145, and then reconstructed over a 26-year period after the fire of 1194, Chartres Cathedral marks the high point of French Gothic art.

From a distance it seems to hover in mid-air above waving fields of wheat, and it is only when the visitor draws closer that the city comes into view, clustering around the hill on which the cathedral stands.

It is built of limestone and one of the towers is smaller than the other so the church is not symmetrical

The cathedral has three great façades, each equipped with three portals, opening into the nave from the west and into the transepts from north and south.

The sculptures on the west façade depicts Christ’s ascension into heaven, episodes from his life, saints, apostles, Christ in the lap of Mary, and other religious scenes. Below the religious figures are statues of kings and queens, which is the reason why this entrance is known as the ‘royal’ portal.

At the east end, an ambulatory wraps around the choir and sanctuary, dramatically vaulted and divided from the latter by a magnificently carved choir screen. It was made in the 16th century and its sculptures were gradually added over a long period between the 16th and 18th centuries. The choir contains 200 sculptures in 41 scenes. The sculptures depict scenes from the lives of Christ and the Virgin Mary.

The stone floor still bears its ancient floor labyrinth (1205), used for walking contemplation by monks and still used for meditation by pilgrims. There is just one path through the labyrinth and it is 964 feet long.

Today I am feeling really lucky because of the fact that I get to attend the sacred numbers retreat I am so happy that I am here. The reason that I wrote about Chartres Cathedral today is because it is soooooo beautiful and I have also been feeling it so much!

I hope you have enjoyed todays post and if you have follow if your new and like if you enjoyed!

Peace