How large were the stained-glass windows at Chartres Cathedral?
The stained-glass windows at Chartres Cathedral vary in size, as the cathedral features a total of 176 windows. Because these windows were often too large to be handled as single pieces, they were divided into a series of separate leaded panels supported by iron armatures.12
While sizes differ across the cathedral, specific examples illustrate their scale:
* The Life of Christ window at Chartres contains more than 250 square feet (23.2 square metres) of stained glass.2
* Other windows, such as the Good Samaritan, utilized complex armatures to delineate ornamental subdivisions, allowing for the integration of didactic imagery into the architecture.2
The cathedral's glazing program was a massive undertaking that involved various workshops and resulted in a diverse collection of windows, ranging from large narrative cycles to the iconic rose windows that define the structure's Gothic aesthetic.13