A fire nearly erased it. What rose from the ashes became a masterpiece.

On October 24, 1260, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres in France was consecrated, with King Louis IX in attendance. Most of the earlier church had burned in 1194; only the west towers and the royal portal survived. Builders then raised a new cathedral at remarkable speed.

The result became one of the defining buildings of the Gothic age, famous above all for its vast collection of medieval stained glass, much of it still in place more than 760 years later.

Why it still matters: Chartres shows how a community turned disaster into something that has inspired architects and travelers for centuries.

What historic building would you most love to see in person?

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