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Chartres, France: Holiday Visit To The Historic Cathedral |
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Artwork, religious icons and sculptures, as well as the magnificent stained glass windows, fascinated us. As we walked below, bathed in daylight filtered through the windows, we marveled at the soaring Gothic arches, choir loft, nave and realistic sculptures of long-ago religious figures.
Since the Middle Ages, the cathedral has been in use and kept in good condition, except for some damage due to a nearby battle during the 18th Century French Revolution. During both World Wars in the 20th Century, local workers removed the windows and other fragile artifacts and stored them in crypts below. Fortunately, all of the cathedral's precious history has survived intact.
We took the scenic 65-minute TER train ride from the Paris Gare Montparnasse station. The cost is about $50 second class and $75 first class. The cathedral is just a ten-minute walk from the Gare de Chartres through the pleasant Medieval town of 40,000 inhabitants. From April through September, from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m., the cathedral and other historic buildings nightly become a giant light and sound theater. Of course, there are special events every Christmas season. |
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