CHARTRES AFTER 1194Churches burned frequently in the
Middle Ages (see “Timber Roofs,” Chapter 17, page 435), and church
officials often had to raise money suddenly for new building cam-
paigns. In contrast to monastic churches, which usually were small and
completed fairly quickly, construction of urban cathedrals often ex-
tended over decades and sometimes over centuries. Their financing de-
pended largely on collections and public contributions (not always vol-
untary), and a lack of funds often interrupted building programs.
Unforeseen events, such as wars, famines, or plagues, or friction be-
tween the town and cathedral authorities would often stop construc-
tion, which then might not resume for years. At Reims (FIG. 18-23), the
clergy offered indulgences (pardons for sins committed) to those who
helped underwrite the enormous cost of erecting the cathedral. The re-
building of Chartres Cathedral (FIG. 18-13) after the devastating fire
of 1194 took a relatively short 27 years, but at one point the towns-
people revolted against the prospect of a heavier tax burden. They
stormed the bishop’s residence and drove him into exile for four years.
Chartres Cathedral’s mid-12th-century west facade (FIG. 18-5)
and the masonry of the crypt to the east were the only sections left
standing after the 1194 conflagration. The crypt housed the most pre-
cious relic of Chartres—the mantle of the Virgin, which miraculously
survived the fire. For reasons of piety and economy, the builders used
the crypt for the foundation of the new structure. The retention of the
crypt and west facade determined the new church’s dimensions, but
not its plan or elevation. Architectural historians usually consider the
post-1194 Chartres Cathedral the first High Gothic building.
The Chartres plan (FIG. 18-14) reveals a new kind of organiza-
tion. Rectangular nave bays replaced the square bays with sexpartite
vaults and the alternate-support system, still present in Early Gothic
churches such as Laon Cathedral (FIG. 18-9). The new system, in
which a single square in each aisle (rather than two, as before) flanks
a single rectangular unit in the nave, became the High Gothic norm.
18-14Plan of Chartres Cathedral, Chartres, France, as rebuilt
after 1194 (after Paul Frankl).
The Chartres plan, in which a single square in each aisle (rather than
two squares) flanks a single rectangular unit in the nave with a four-
part vault, became the norm for High Gothic church architecture.N0 25 7550 1 00 feet
0 10 20 30 metersPorch of the
ConfessorsPorch of the
MartyrsRoyal PortalFour-part
nave vaults18-13Aerial view of Chartres Cathedral (looking north), Chartres,
France, as rebuilt after 1194.
Architectural historians consider the rebuilt Chartres Cathedral the
first great monument of High Gothic architecture. It is the first church
to have been planned from the beginning with flying buttresses.
18-15Interior of Chartres Cathedral (looking east), Chartres, France,
begun 1194.
Chartres Cathedral became the model for High Gothic churches also
in its tripartite elevation consisting of nave arcade, triforium, and clere-
story with stained-glass windows almost as tall as the main arcade.470 Chapter 18 GOTHIC EUROPE