In the northern part of France, 90 kilometers from Paris, is the small French town of Chartres. This is where one of the famous buildings is located - Chartres Cathedral. Its location is considered sacred and has a rich history. The development of the city of Chartres began around the first century AD. At the same time, the first Catholic church was built here. After a short period of time, a holy relic appeared in the city - the cover of the Mother of God, which was originally kept by the French king Karl Lysy.
After numerous fires in the city, the king donated this relic to the cathedral, in the hope that it would bring more benefit by its miraculous power. Historical chronicles confirm the presence of this power at the cover of the Virgin Mary, according to them, one of the miracles happened in 911 during the siege of the city by the Normans. Seeing a hopeless situation, the Chartres bishop hung a sacred cover on the city wall, praying for help to the Holy Virgin Mary. Normans, despite the large numbers, took to flight.
The second miracle was observed in 1194, when the cathedral in Chartres, where the cover is located, was subjected to fire and was almost destroyed. Only the casket in which the sacred relic was located somehow did not suffer at all. On the site of the destroyed cathedral was built a new one - Notre Dame de Chartres. In the presence of King Louis IX in 1260, the consecration of a new structure was performed. It was the first cathedral in France to have the patronage of the Virgin Mary. He has not lost his originality to this day.
The cathedral itself is a structure built of durable sandstone, the blocks of which reach three meters in length and a meter in height. Chartres Cathedral covers an area of 130 meters. The main vault of the nave is up to 36 meters high. At the western entrance there are snow-white statues of kings and queens, who ruled earlier in this city. Four windows located above the western entrance cause considerable interest among tourists. They are decorated with magnificent stained-glass windows, which are distinguished by a diverse theme of images and purity of colors.
The interior of the cathedral is also rich in stained glass. There are 146 stained-glass windows depicting the main figures and 1359 - with various small plots from biblical covenants, from the life of kings, artisans. Huge round lace windows are installed on the facades of the cathedral.
Chartres Cathedral has two towers. The north tower with a spire in the Gothic style was built in 1135. Its height is 114 meters. South - reconstructed in 1195. Its height is 116 meters. It is considered one of the most beautiful church towers in the world. In addition to the above, the cathedral has 10 thousand sculptural structures that adorn both the exterior and interior of the building.
Another value that Chartres Cathedral is famous for is its wooden altar, decorated with all kinds of carved plots on biblical themes. From historical records it is known that more than two centuries were spent on the manufacture of such an altar. Until the 18th century, in addition to the cover, another relic was kept in the cathedral - the head of the mother of the Virgin, St. Anna. As well as a figurine of the Virgin Mary with a child under her heart. These relics were considered sacred. They burned in a fire.
In addition, the Hebrew encrypted letter is still stored in the cathedral, with the help of which ritual religious phrases were recorded. Similar encrypted characters can be seen in many corners of the cathedral.
In a word, Chartres (France) is the place where every tourist who has visited this country should visit. After all, the cathedral is one of the greatest creations of European, Gothic and Christian culture as a whole. It is this building that is compared with the encyclopedia.