Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Chartres

The famous Gothic cathedral in Chartres is thought to be one of the finest of its style and was built over a 60-year period in the late 12th and 13th centuries. It is incredibly well preserved and still contains many of the original stained glass windows. The cathedral has two huge asymmetrical towers, one simple smaller spire from the original construction and a taller, more extravagant spire dating from the 16th century. It has been a pilgrimage site itself since construction because it holds the Sancta Camisa, a shirt, which, according to legend, was worn by the Virgin Mary during the birth of Christ. The relic was a gift from Charles II. It gained UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1979 and attracts a huge number of visitors each year.