Stock photography picture of Chartres Cathedral in France dates from the 13th century AD and is a sacred site for Marian pilgrimages

AX5MHA - Licenced Caption Chartres Cathedral in France dates from the 13th century AD and is a sacred site for Marian pilgrimages Description Five previous churches have occupied the site of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres all of which were destroyed by fire. Dating from the 13th century, the present building is ranked as a supreme example of Gothic French architecture (along with Amiens Cathedral and Reims Cathedral) noted not only for its architectural innovations but also for its numerous sculptures and celebrated stained glass windows. According to legend, since AD 876 the Cathedral has housed a tunic that belonged to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sancta Camisia. The relic is said to have been given to the Cathedral by Charlemagne, who received it as a gift during his crusade in the Holy Land. . The Cathedral is an important pilgrimage center for devout Catholics who come from the world over to honour the sacred relic. Keywords religious, tourism, architecture, sacred, site, place, windows, steeples, gothic, building, worship, catholic, france, tourists, visitors, pilgrims, facade, world, europe, religions, maria, madonna, mary, virgin, shrine, holy, relic, europe, basilica