Chartres
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Chartres
Chartres
a city in northern France, situated on the Eure River. Capital of Eure-et-Loir Department. Population, 72,000 (1975). Chartres is a transportation junction and commercial center of an agricultural region. It has enterprises for the manufacture of agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, fertilizers and other chemical products, pharmaceuticals, and food products, mainly flour and beer. The city also produces decorative glassware and ready-to-wear clothing.
The center of Chartres has preserved its medieval plan. Its numerous buildings dating from the 13th to 18th centuries include the Romanesque abbey of St. Pierre (12th–13th centuries), the churches of St. Brice (11th century) and St. Andre (12th century), the Gothic cathedral of St. Pierre, and the Renaissance cathedral of St. Aignan (16th-17th centuries).
Chartres is famous for the cathedral of Notre Dame, originally built in the Romanesque style in the 11th century. The old cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1194; only the crypt and the base of the west tower were preserved. It was rebuilt in the High Gothic style by 1260, and additional construction was carried out between the 14th and 16th centuries. The cathedral is also known for the rich sculptural work of its Romanesque royal portal on the west (1145–1155) and the Gothic portals on the north and south. It is especially noted for its stained-glass windows (12th–13th centuries).
REFERENCES
Clerval, J. A. Guide Chartain: Chartres, sa cathédrale, ses monuments, 5th ed. Chartres, 1924.Delaporte, V. Notre-Dame de Chartres. [Album. Paris, 1957.]