Chartres - and 300 more steps

July 12

A few fellow students and I decided to head to Chartres yesterday after life drawing class. According to the guide books, Chartres is one of the most pure versions of Gothic church architecture still standing, as the building campaign for the exterior structure was completed in about 60 years - some serious motoring when you consider the lack of power tools.

The structure is beautiful, with soaring ribbed vaults. This is usually my favorite part of church architecture as I like the repeating pattern and line in the columns and ribs. And then there is the stained glass, which I soon find overwhelming. I know that the glass had its reasons beyond beauty and glory to God - it was the cartoon book of Bible stories for the illiterate. But it is so detailed, so small, and so very high up - how did the people read it without binoculars? Or a guide book?! It turns out that there were several perfect holes in the stained glass that made beams of light across the church - now these I could understand!

There was an opportunity to climb the north tower, so several of us did. One thing to note... the English charge you to see their big churches, with the pain of climbing the towers and domes being optional once you are in. The French let you into their churches for free, but they charge you to climb - it seems quite rude to make you pay for the pain! The views were, of course, breathtaking - you could see the famous flying buttresses and could get quite friendly with a gargoyle or two.

Apologies for the blur in the interior pictures - these were long handheld exposures. Enjoy!