In the lower town, where the most listed buildings are to be found in Chartres, we at once notice the Queen Berthe Stairs.
It is an extraordinary half-timbered tower enclosing a staircase, and its exterior is sculpted with figures of human characters, fantastic animals and decorative motifs.
The Queen Berthe stairs, so-called since 1792, was built in the 16th century, and adjoins what used to be "La Maison des Consuls" (House of the Consuls).


Berthe was the daughter of King Conrad of Burgundy, grand-daughter of Louis IV of Outremer, King of the Franks, and great grand-daughter of Henry Ist l'Oiseleur (the Fowler), King of Germania. Given the title Berthe de Bourgogne, she was born in 964, and was married to Count Eudes the First of Blois and Chartres, with whom she had five children.

She was widowed in 996, and, only a few months later, married the love of her life: Robert II the Pious, King of France.
They first had to wait for the death of Robert's father, Hugues Capet, who shared the throne, and, as an old enemy of Count Eudes, was opposed to Robert's union with his widow.
Things were further complicated as, although Robert had repudiated his wife around 993, he and Berthe were third cousins, and he was even Godfather to one of her sons.

Nor did this marriage please the Pope, Gregory V, who ordered an annulment on grounds of consanguinity. The king refused and, in 998, the Pope not only ex-communicated the couple, but the entire country with them!

Robert at first remained intractable, but, to save the country further turmoil, finally repudiated Berthe, officially because she had not given him an heir, and thus the anathema was lifted.
Robert married another woman to ensure the family line, but Berthe remained his mistress.
She died in 1024.




The Queen Berthe Stairs are not open to the public.
To see them in more detail, click on "Video".