Source: “Cracking the Symbol Code: The Hidden Messages Within Church and Renaissance Art”, By Tim Wallace-Murphy, Watkins Publishing, London, 2010.
11. The Mystical Interior of Chartres Cathedral.mp4
Chartres Cathedral is presented as a profound space where artistry, spirituality, and ancient wisdom converge. The author emphasizes the transformative power of its stained-glass windows, described as miraculously filtering light to enhance spiritual activity, a secret knowledge attributed to the Knights Templar and master alchemists. Beyond their didactic purpose, these windows, especially the great rose windows, are highlighted for their sacred geometry and their ability to create an "alchemical filtration" on light, maximizing "initiatory effects." The text further explores the cathedral's deep connection to telluric currents and the "Spiritus Mundi," a powerful earth energy concentrated at the "Hill of the Initiates" upon which the cathedral is built, explaining why no king or cardinal is buried there. Finally, the labyrinth on the nave floor is revealed not merely as a penitential act but as a ritualistic dance designed to induce a shift in consciousness and a journey inward, reflecting a profound, hidden spiritual purpose underlying the cathedral's Christian facade.
Topic 1 The interior of Chartres Cathedral offers a profound sensory experience upon entry. Moving from bright sunlight into the cathedral's sudden gloom, visitors witness an immediate transformation where the shadow-like interior begins to glow with opalescent blue and ruby-tinged colors. This effect makes the massive limestone pillars appear to be infused with vibrant energy, as the stained-glass windows convert outer daylight into a shimmering haze of color, creating a uniquely vibrant atmosphere of subtly colored light.
Topic 2 The stained glass of Chartres possesses unique properties that distinguish it from ordinary glass. It miraculously transforms light, causing the glass itself to become a jeweled and luminous source of splendor. This unique quality is attributed to master craftsmen who employed scientific knowledge, the result of true gnosis. The glass was specifically designed to neutralize or filter out certain light rays and luminous particles considered harmful to human spiritual activity.
Topic 3 The origins of the advanced stained glass technology at Chartres are linked to esoteric traditions. It is claimed that this knowledge was discovered by the Knights Templar in the Holy Land. The earliest known stained window-glass on record was created by adepts, masters of the Gnostic tradition, such as the poet Omar Khayam in Persia at the beginning of the eleventh century. Louis Charpentier suggests that this glass was initially produced in alchemists' laboratories before its secrets were passed to other initiates on a long journey that brought it to Europe through the nine returning founder members of the Templar Order, who then transmitted it to the Cistercians.
Topic 4 A key function of the stained glass in Chartres Cathedral is its role in enhancing spiritual activity through light filtration. The selective filtering of cosmic rays by the glass creates a wavelength of light that harmonizes with the natural vibrations of human cellular tissue. This process is believed to maximize the effect of initiatory energy, thereby fostering a deeper spiritual experience for those within the cathedral.
Topic 5 Chartres Cathedral boasts an extraordinary quantity of stained glass, totaling 179 sets with a surface area exceeding 2,000 square meters, or over an acre. Most of these fragile masterpieces date from the thirteenth century, with four earlier windows surviving a catastrophic fire in 1194. Their survival through historical ravages such as the Hundred Years War, the French Revolution, and two world wars is considered a true miracle. Their original didactic purpose was, as Abbot Suger noted for Saint-Denis, to show simple people who could not read the Holy Scriptures what they must believe, although Suger also delighted in their magical function of transforming material into immaterial.
Topic 6 Sacred geometry plays a significant role in the design of Chartres' windows, especially the great rose windows on the west front and the two transepts. The architect John James was amazed by the intricate geometrical patterns, noting that the great west rose incorporates five separate systems of proportion that rhythmically pulse across the wheel. These include a triangle, a square, a hexagon, and various twelve and twenty-four-pointed stars, culminating in an endless twelve-pointed star that allows for continuous traversal without repetition.
Topic 7 The west rose window, installed around 1215, is a prominent feature known and admired across Europe. Positioned to capture the rays of the setting sun, it depicts themes of the Last Judgment. The central figure is Jesus, displaying the wounds of his passion and crucifixion. He is surrounded by three concentric series of twelve circles. The inner series features angels and symbols of the four Evangelists, the middle series shows the Apostles, and the outer series illustrates scenes from the Revelation of St John.
Topic 8 The rose window of the north transept, known as the Rose of France, was donated by Queen Blanche of Castile around 1230. When stared at intensely, its innate sacred geometry makes it appear to rotate. This phenomenon is explained as an exploration of the properties of a square inscribed within a circle, giving rise to an unseen spiral linking the stonework's orifices, mirroring the pattern of growth in nature itself. Alchemically, Fulcanelli noted that the rose represents the action and duration of fire, expressing the movements of matter quickened by elementary fire.
Topic 9 The iconography of the north transept rose window is rich in symbolism. Its main focus is the Madonna and Child in the center. This central image is encircled by panels depicting doves representing the Holy Spirit, along with angels and thrones. Further outward, quadrilateral panels feature Mary's ancestors, the twelve Kings of Judah. Beyond these are quatrefoils emblazoned with gold fleurs-de-lys on a blue background, symbolizing the Capetian Kings of France's claimed descent from the ma'madot and, through them, to the Royal House of Egypt. The outer ring displays twelve minor prophets in elliptical designs.