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If you're in charters, you would not miss the magnificent Chartres Cathedral. Properly known in French as the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Chartres, the church was built in the 9th century. Parts of it are still in existence and because of its great historical value, it was declared as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, adding another feather to the French as they meticulously preserved their past for hundreds of years.
From afar, you can easily point out the cathedral because of its' two towers that are located in front of the cathedral. The left one was built around the 16th century. It was built on top of an lower tower and now it's the tallest point of the church with the height of 377 ft. On the right side is the lower tower but definitely older. It was built in 1140 with the total height of 349 ft. Even though the design is significantly simpler than the other tower, in itself its an architectural feat with a pyramid shaped head.
The towers are just for starters, the whole architectural design of the cathedral follows the classic description of a Gothic church. All the elements are there – beautiful rose windows, arched doors and small windows that complement the total structure of the area.
The cathedral didn't went on through the centuries without any major revisions and restorations. As early as the 12th century, there are already revisions that were done to the cathedral. This restorations where instrumental in laying the groundwork for the Romanesque part of the cathedral. Although the architectural idea doesn't go with the original structure, the architect is smart enough to create a beautiful addition to the church. Without a tourist guide to tell you which is which, you'll have a hard time identifying the proper Romanesque and Gothic parts of the cathedral. As previously mentioned the tower is also another structure that was added during the 16th century.
One of the things that you'll experience when you enter the cathedral in anytime of the day are the playfulness of the colors in the floor. This is through the stained glass windows. The predominant color of blue is found in the rose window in front of the cathedral. Go to the labyrinth, the central portion of the cathedral and you'll immediately notice the effects of lights that emanate from the stained glass windows. When it was originally built, there was a total of 186 glass windows around the cathedral. Only 152 glass windows are left. Still, the number is really impressive as the windows are carefully preserved up to this day. The stained glasses that you will see today depicts the known religious figures in the Christendom.
This is one of the most important structures in France. Even though it's still functioning as a church, you'll still have to check the time when you can visit this cathedral. As much as possible, go with the guided tour to know more about the history of this structure and appreciate the beauty of the cathedral by your very eyes. | 
