An Essay On The Chartres Cathedral

The Chartres Cathedral is one of the most notable pieces of gothic architecture, and many people have been impressed and in awe of the cathedral since it has been built. This includes American filmmaker, Orson Welles. In his final film he highlights the Chartres Cathedral by saying:
This has been standing here for centuries. The premier work of man perhaps in the whole Western world, and it’s without a signature: Chartres. A celebration to God’s glory and to the dignity of man (Orson Welles, F is for Fake)
Orson, like many others, comments on the beauty and prestigious work that is encapsulated in the Chartres Cathedral. Since being built, the Chartres Cathedral has had a tremendous effect on the Western world. The cathedral represents more than just the architectural features and the work that went into it; it also shows a lot about religious life, the economics of Europe in the Middle Ages, and the culture of France.
Standing at over 400 feet, the Chartres Cathedral is a grand cathedral, and one of the tallest buildings at the time of construction. The Chartres Cathedral has been built and rebuilt several times, but it still stands in Chartres, France. Christians built the cathedral in 1145. The
Economically speaking, the church was funded by Christians. The mass amount of Christians who made the pilgrimage to Chartres also greatly helped the economy. Donations came from all over Europe, even as far as England because of Mary’s affiliation with the church. The church also became a place for labor exchange and a marketplace for goods. Culturally, it was a popular pilgrimage destination for Christian all throughout the middle ages. The complex architecture and craftsmanship involved in building the cathedral shows the technology that the builders of that time had. Finally, there was a school built into the