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Chartres Cathedral, Witness to France’s Pivotal Moments

The Chartres Cathedral has welcomed many eminent figures on various occasions that have shaped French history. Sometimes, traces —or echoes— of these moments remain, even on the very walls of the building.
We invite you to explore these unique perspectives on the cathedral’s defining historical moments…

Explanatory booklet on the ceremonial order of Henry IV’s coronation, February 27, 1594. He was the only French king not crowned in Reims, as the city was then occupied by the hostile League troops.
Graffiti discovered during restoration work on a triforium wall, precisely above the site of the coronation: "Henry 4 1594." A remarkable testament that appears authentic —ongoing studies have confirmed at least its relative antiquity, as 18th-century whitewashes had covered the engraved inscription.
Promotional booklet on the ceremonies commissioned by the royal authority from the Chapter of Chartres Cathedral in the summer of 1619. These "thanksgiving services" followed military skirmishes between Queen Marie de’ Medici’s troops and those of Louis XIII, culminating in their reconciliation with the Treaty of Angoulême (April 30). This publication pays tribute to the ancient sanctuary of Chartres: “A temple chosen by Their Majesties to consecrate their hearts and affections to God, as one of the most devout and renowned temples of Christendom, the oldest built by the Druids in honor of a Virgin destined to bear the Savior of humanity; a temple also chosen by the late King Henry the Great, after all his glorious victories, to be the site of his sacred coronation (…) a temple also chosen by Clovis, first Christian ancestor of our most Christian kings, who, before his baptism, was solemnly catechized here.”
A copper coin —double tournois— bearing the effigy of young Louis XIII, minted in 1621. Discovered in 2007 by sacristan Dominique Baudry in one of the choir’s annex rooms during the dismantling of wooden floors before their replacement with cut-stone pavement. This room once housed the churchwardens, and it is likely that one of them accidentally dropped this small coin into a floorboard crevice.
A national newspaper reporting the results of the April 27, 1969, referendum on regionalization, which General de Gaulle had tied to his possible resignation. It is known that in 1969, de Gaulle made at least one private visit to Chartres Cathedral, outside any official event, to pray before the Virgin. © La Voix du Nord, 1969
A large-format photograph in white paint, showing two individuals posing for a press photo.
Inauguration booklet of the restored grand organ, a project spearheaded by Pierre Firmin-Didot. The June 6, 1971, festivities, attended by high-ranking state officials and foreign ambassadors, had a significant impact. In the aftermath, Chartres quickly became the world’s most prestigious organ competition venue.
A photograph of President Georges Pompidou, exuding great dignity in these circumstances.
Speech by André Malraux on the cathedral’s forecourt during the 30th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps, addressing the female survivors of the horrors. The text is both harrowing and magnificent —elevating even Malraux’s usual oratorical grandeur. “It is not noise that makes war, it is death.” This statement alone could serve as an essential subject for students’ reflection.
A photograph of Malraux, standing amid the crowd gathered before the Royal Portal. He appears aged —elsewhere.
A document from the Élysée’s official website —a copy of a letter from Jacques Chirac to the German Chancellor on the occasion of a memorial mass at the cathedral for Father Franz Stock, chaplain of the “Barbed Wire Seminary” in Le Coudray, buried at St. John the Baptist Church in Rechèvres. Now regarded as a pioneer of Franco-German reconciliation, Father Franz Stock provided vital acts of political and moral courage. More than anything, he remains a model of unwavering selfless devotion, guided by a Christian faith synonymous with absolute commitment.
A photograph of Helmut Kohl, set against Romanesque stained glass windows. He is reading the text of the religious ceremonies with deep attention.