Chartres Cathedral, France

The cathedral in Chartres, France has existed for 800 years. This religious temple is a monument of medieval engineering thought and a magnificent masterpiece of Gothic architecture. The history of Chartres Cathedral is intertwined with fire, destruction, betrayal and violence. It was the scene of a terrible battle between the aristocrats of Europe and the powerful Catholic Church.

Construction of Chartres Cathedral began in e 1194. Then, in June, a violent storm blew through and lightning struck the church that stood on this site. Everything was burned, but the greatest loss was the treasure it held-the tunic of the Virgin Mary. It was believed that Our Lady was clothed with it on the day of the Annunciation. It was presented to the city by the King of France in 876 and was the symbol of Chartres.

But salvation lurks everywhere. The Lord sends to Chartres Renaud de Mocot, Bishop of Chartres and an influential figure in France. He made a promise to the people of Chartres that he would build a new cathedral and vowed that it would be the tallest ever built. Thus came the ambitious plan to build Chartres Cathedral. The choice of architect for this grand plan was extremely important. There is no record of who this architect was, or how he was found. The first very serious setback in the construction of the new Chartres Cathedral came in 1209, 15 years after construction began. Renaud was then summoned by the Vatican to join the holy war in southern France.

His absence gave the Countess of Chartres the opportunity to turn the population in her favour, and in the autumn of 1210 the wrath of the inhabitants was poured out on the cathedral. They looted and burned the church property, at which time the priests panicked, hid the tunic and refused to celebrate mass. During the riot, a fire broke out and miraculously the cathedral remained intact. When he learned of this rebellion, the King of France fined the inhabitants of Chartres and the Countess. The sum, which today amounts to $20 million, allowed construction to continue.

Finally, 66 years after the fire that gave rise to the idea, Chartres Cathedral was completed. Its inauguration took place on 24 October 1260. The King of France, Louis IX, personally presented the magnificent building to the world. Even today, visitors to Chartres Cathedral are as impressed as people were in those days. And this has connected us with them through the centuries.

Now, 800 years later, Bishop Renaud's dream still looms over the city, attracting a million tourists every year. They come to admire the magnificent building and to soak for a moment in the mystery that medieval Gothic cathedrals still hold. Today, Chartres Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.