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Chartres Cathedral: West Facade and Towers

West Facade and Towers

The famously beautiful west facade of Chartres Cathedral, unfortunately marred temporarily by scaffolding. Built in the 1140s, it is one of the few survivors of a disastrous fire that necessitated the rebuilding of the cathedral in 1194-1220. The right tower and spire dates from the same period, rising 349 foot (105m) in a plain pyramid shape. The mismatched left tower was added in the early 16th century and rises 377 feet (113m) in a Flamboyant Gothic style.