Original article published on the Archives départementales d’Eure-et-Loir website,
with their kind permission.
FR AD 28 / L 440 – Renovations inside the cathedral
Revolutionary Period
The Revolution significantly impacted the cathedral, starting with the dissolution of the chapter in October 1790 and, following the decree of November 2, stripping it of its properties and income. A place of pilgrimage and a church serving the canons and the Bishop, the cathedral was not a true parish before the Revolution. In 1791, having become the sole parish of Chartres, it underwent a number of modifications and works carried out by architect Laurent Morin (decoration of the apse chapels, establishment of two new chapels along the eastern wall of the transept) to accommodate the faithful.
Modifications made inside the Cathedral
To carry out the planned modifications inside the cathedral in 1791, architect Laurent Morin used altars and furniture from the churches that had previously constituted the various parishes of Chartres.
As a result, paintings, sculptures, holy water fonts, baptismal fonts, confessionals, as well as woodwork, flooring elements, and columns were transferred to form new chapels in the cathedral.
On this sketch, depicting a side chapel, you can see the intended use of the former altar from the Church of Sainte-Foy, steps, the tabernacle, stone elements (tiles, steps, columns, cornice), and an altar painting from the Jacobin convent.
The report detailing the operations also mentions for this same chapel the incorporation of three bas-reliefs taken from the Abbey of Saint-Père-en-Vallée and a grille from the Church of Saint-Jean.
Furthermore, decoration work (painting of the grille, gilding of certain stone ornaments…) and modifications to the lighting, including replacing some stained glass windows with plain glass, were planned.
Renovations to the interior of Chartres Cathedral, 1791 © Arch Dép. Eure-et-Loir, L 440
However, on the 9th of Frimaire, Year II (November 15, 1793), the cathedral was closed and converted into a Temple of Reason (the Assumption group being transformed into a patriotic figure), and the following year, into a Temple of the Supreme Being. Catholic worship was only reinstated in 1795.
Moreover, throughout this period, the cathedral suffered numerous acts of vandalism, including the removal of lead from the roof (which was only restored in 1797) to make bullets…
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A view of Chartres Cathedral, 18th century FR AD 28 / Jusselin Collection n° 350 © Arch Dép. Eure-et-Loir, 7 Fi 366