Editing Chartres Cathedral (section)

===Fire and reconstruction (1194–1260)===
On the night of 10 June 1194, another major fire devastated the cathedral. Only the crypt, the towers, and the new façade survived. The cathedral was already known throughout Europe as a pilgrimage destination, due to the reputed relics of the [[Virgin Mary]] that it contained. A legate of the Pope happened to be in Chartres at the time of the fire, and spread the word. Funds were collected from royal and noble patrons across Europe, as well as small donations from ordinary people. Reconstruction began almost immediately. Some portions of the building had survived, including the two towers and the Royal Portal on the west end, and these were incorporated into the new cathedral.<ref name="H12" />

The nave, aisles, and lower levels of the transepts of the new cathedral were probably completed first, then the choir and chapels of the apse; then the upper parts of the transept. By 1220, the roof was in place. The major portions of the new cathedral, with its stained glass and sculpture, were largely finished within just twenty-five years, extraordinarily rapid for the time. The cathedral was formally re-consecrated in October 1260, in the presence of King [[Louis IX of France]],<ref>Favier, Jean. ''The World of Chartres''. New York: Henry N. Abrams, 1990. p. 160. {{ISBN|978-0-8109-1796-5}}.</ref> whose coat of arms can be seen painted on a [[boss (architecture)|boss]] at the entrance to the apse, although this was added in the 14th century.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hamburger |first=Jeffrey F. |date=1 October 2020 |title=Restoration and Desecration. |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&issn=10475141&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA635666027&sid=googleScholar&linkaccess=abs |journal=First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life |language=English |issue=306 |pages=7–10}}</ref>