Chartres Cathedral – Exploring Architecture and Landscape Architecture (2024)

FAQs

What are the architectural innovations of Chartres Cathedral? ›

In many ways, the cathedral's design resembles those of its contemporaries, especially Laon Cathedral, but it displays innovations with its tall arcades, unusually narrow triforium, and huge clerestory—the massive weight of which required using flying buttresses in an unprecedented manner.

Chartres Cathedral is one of the chief examples of Gothic architecture. Because it was built in the early years of the period, it does bear some influence from the earlier Romanesque period. The west face, for example, bears tall, thin Gothic windows that are topped with nearly round Romanesque arches.

Nave and ambulatory

The nave itself was built after the fire, beginning in 1194. The floor of the nave also has a labyrinth in the pavement (see labyrinth section below).

1# The first UNESCO World Heritage cathedral

In 1979, Chartres cathedral was classified as an outstanding monument, to be safeguarded for humanity, at the same time as the Mont Saint-Michel, Vézelay and the Château of Versailles. It was the first large Gothic cathedral to receive this worldwide accolade.

The solution to this problem was a feature that characterized the Gothic style, and facilitated the sheer scale of cathedrals like Chartres: the flying buttress. These arch-shaped supports, attached to the exterior of a building, directed the weight of the vaults into the ground; thus supporting the walls.

Some of the key architectural components integral to the Gothic form are pointed arches, flying buttresses, tri-portal west façades, rib vaults, and of course, rose windows.

The southwest spire, up to its highest point, belongs to the mid-12th century, and is Romanesque rather than Gothic in style. The northwest tower, though Romanesque lower down, is of the Flamboyant style in its upper part. Its spire was built in 1507-13.

The Cathedral of Learning was designed by Charles Klauder, who fused the idea of a modern skyscraper with the tradition and ideals of Gothic architecture. The support structure of the Cathedral is steel, like that of a typical skyscraper, while the exterior and finishing details take their cues from the Gothic period.

The successive styles of the great church buildings of Europe are known as Early Christian, Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical, and various Revival styles of the late 18th to early 20th centuries, and then Modern.

Definition. The Notre Dame Cathedral (Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption) of Chartres in northern France was built in its current Romanesque and Gothic form between 1190 and 1220.

What is the famous window in Chartres Cathedral? ›

The Good Samaritan Window is located in the south aisle of the nave of the Cathedral Notre-Dame de Chartres in Chartres, France.

The vast curtain walls of Chartres cathedral are supported by great stone flying buttresses, while the vert-de-gris [verdegris] copper roof is supported by an enormous iron framework not usually seen, a relatively modern wonder of engineering.

Chartres is famous worldwide for its cathedral. Mostly constructed between 1193 and 1250, this Gothic cathedral is in an exceptional state of preservation.

And now the Cathedral's most precious relic – the silk Veil of the Virgin Mary – is safely displayed in a sophisticated new treasure chest made by Goppion, as part of a project by designer and scenographer Hubert Le Gall.

The Cathedral of Chartres and the Mosque of Cordoba are two of most beautiful and mystical buildings of Medieval architecture. Although they come from different religions, the two buildings have some fascinating similarities.

To create all of these beautiful characteristics, Gothic architecture relied on three features: pointed arches, rib vaults, and flying buttresses. None of them were completely new innovations, but they had never before been regularly used together and developed to their full potential.

A great innovation of Gothic architecture was the pointed arch. Before Gothic architecture, buildings had round arches which were heavy and needed thick walls to support them. The pointed arch changed that because it could carry more weight. This meant walls could be thinner and have bigger windows.

The defining design element of Gothic architecture is the pointed or ogival arch. The use of the pointed arch in turn led to the development of the pointed rib vault and flying buttresses, combined with elaborate tracery and stained glass windows.

The Romans were also innovators and they combined new construction techniques and materials with creative design to produce a whole range of brand new architectural structures. Typical innovative Roman buildings included the basilica, triumphal arch, monumental aqueduct, amphitheatre, and residential housing block.