The Road Goes Ever On

Friday, May 17, 2013

Abbey Church of St. Pierre in Chartres

So we were walking the 3k from the campground to the cathedral in Chartres, along the river Eure, minding our own business, just entering the old town when

What's that?!

And just a few blocks from the cathedral

It's the formerly Benedictine abbey church of St. Pierre in the
Valley; now a parish church (it said), seized in the
Revolution when the abbeys were abolished; it's tower is
10th century, the rest 12th and 13th, just a generation or so
younger than Chartres Cathedral

Wider view, from the north

Closer view of the tower, built when memories
of Viking raids were still quite fresh (the last
one in the 940s as I recall)

Archeological display in the tower

So anyhow we went in, despite strained eyes and wrenched
necks from nearly a day at the cathedral

And were rewarded with another unheralded surprise, a
rayonnant Gothic church, beautiful windows done presumably
by the same folks and workshops that did the cathedral's

Thus

And thus; note the elevation, aisle, blind
triforium, clerestory windows

Of course after a while you begin to notice the
nave is under a massive net; things are falling
down; just small things, let us hope

View from the choir back to the tower;
things may not have altogether fit...

Still, gorgeous 12th and 13th century windows

Still standing up

It must be tough to be just "another" Gothic in Chartres

Chartres Outtakes

As I said, these cathedrals are a pain in the neck

Our first day at Chartres, we had lunch at a place called Le
Pichet--recommended by two of our guidebooks--where
Vicki had the best beef bourgignon ever, and I had an onion
soup that would have embarrassed Campbell's

Near the north side of the cathedral, Chartres
firemen practice their rappel skills

Nearly every city, town and village in
France is covered in beautiful flower
gardens, but Chartres was exceptional

Today's wedding photos are from the north
porch of Chartres cathedral

In a stained glass shoppe adjacent to the cathedral; Vicki is
thinking seriously of taking it up...someday

And just off the cathedral square, a
classroom of the International School of
Stained Glass

Same gargoyles that have adorned our bookshelves since
1979; probably the same gift shoppe too

Historic home of the Office of Tourisme in Chartres, the
Maison de Saumon; have I mentioned recently how
uniformly helpful and energetic these people are, everywhere
in Europe?

Ever wonder what happens to all those little candles people
light up in churches?

Walking through Chartres' pretty downtown, a muralist
working on a new building

Our campsite at the municipal campground, the Bord du
L'Eure; we've been staying there from '79; the trees are larger,
but everything else is pretty much the same

It's a 3k hike from the campground to the cathedral: first
through these luscious woods, then along the river Eure,
then into the old city; one of the more pleasant strolls to
a great destination

Chartres Sculpture

Chartres 12th-13th century sculpture is relatively well-preserved, considering the ravages of time, religious wars, revolutions, and other matters. The choir screen is 15th-16th century, the lives of Mary and Jesus, but also of interest.

South portal, a bit of construction still going on

Judgment, again

Anatomically incorrect sinner/devil

North porch

Light in the north transept

Jamb statues

Vicki maintains this gargoyle/downspout was a gift of the dental labs of Chartres

At Chartres, the buttresses become more than architectural: they become objects
of art...

At the west end, yes, it's a Mary church

Architecture: in the seven liberal arts archivolt

Grammar: a caution to anyone who would teach language...

Zodiac in the archivolt

More jamb statues

Alive and in conversation with one another...this is new in
western art

Unusual Nativity

Writer

Janus/January

A secular character

And some things you don't know what to
make of...

Finally, in the 16th century screen, one of the disciples has lost a contact

But, miraculously, Jesus finds it and puts it back in...

Details Of Chartres' Windows

I never can remember whether it's God or the Devil that's in the details. God, according to Einstein, I think. Anyhow, below are a fraction of some of the details in Chartres' window, mostly the lower-down, more easily photographed ones. Much is familiar Biblical stuff, much is lives of various saints, some is depiction of life in the 12th and 13th century--those are the ones we like best--and then the unusual/lurid/humorous items we also like. It's a fascinating experience, looking at all the windows for hours on end, and also a painful one, in the neck. But it's a small price to pay.