Chartres (ancient Carnutes, Autricum, civitas Carnutum), city in north central France, capital of Eure-et-Loir Department, on the Eure River, in Centre. It is a farm-trade and manufacturing center; products include machinery, electronic equipment, fertilizer, and leather goods. Chartres consists of an upper and a lower town connected by steep streets. The highest point of the city is crowned by the world-famous Cathedral of Notre Dame (12th and 13th century), noted for the beauty of its south spire, its statuary, its magnificent 13th-century stained-glass windows, and its Renaissance choir screen.
An ancient settlement, Chartres was burned by the Normans in AD 858 and passed to the French crown in 1286. In 1594 Henry IV was crowned king of France at Chartres. Population (1999) 40,361.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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