HISTORY

Chartres Cathedral  wasn't a Gothic cathedral until 1194. It was originally a Romanesque basilica.  The reason the Chartre changed it's architectural style was because of it's many fires. The first fire occurred in 1020 which burnt almost the whole cathedral. The second fire was in 1134 which only did little damage to the the cathedral but burned most of the city.

    In 1194 the third fire took place burning the whole cathedral down and the birth of the Gothic Chartres begins. The people of Chartres began building the new cathedral almost immediately. People from the city donated money to help rebuild the new cathedral. Chartres Cathedral was finally finished in the year 1260.  

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