Chartres Cathedral, also known as the
Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, is a Roman Catholic church in Chartres, France, about 80 km southwest of Paris and is the seat of the Diocese of Chartres.
Wikipedia Link
I first noticed the church as I started taking pictures in the
park near where we stayed. During the walking tour of Chartres by Toni I
was in awe of the the
architecture
and the
detailed stone carvings of the facade.
We all got a better idea of the history and the meaning of the design of the
church when famed local historian and author,
Malcolm Miller, addressed our
group and lectured us on the history of the church. Who knew that the
designs of the church and its
stained glass windows was the illiterate man's
bible? A funny moment was when Mr. Miller's laser pointer crossed paths
with another tour guide's laser pointer.
50m from the cathedral, this centre which was founded in 1980 is established in the old Tithe Barn, medieval building from the 13th century, listed as a Historic Monument. It gives you access to the secrets of stained-glass work, an art which has schools and masters dedicated to it. Through exhibitions on old and contemporary stained-glass designs, introductory courses for children and adults, guided visits and a workshop open to the public, the complex and fascinating techniques of this art become accessible to all. Permanent exhibition: "Stained-glass of the Renaissance".
[text from www.chartres-tourisme.com].
A very informative tour given. Leaned how stain glass is made and the effort to restore the stain glass in the church. Some of the newer designs, although beautiful in their own right, I failed to understand how it can be called stained glass.