There's an 800-year-old meditation path on a cathedral floor.

Chartres Cathedral in France has a labyrinth set into its floor around 1200. Unlike a maze, it has one path with no dead ends. People walk it slowly as prayer or meditation, winding in towards the centre.

Truth label: Established. Strong evidence and broad agreement among experts.

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A pilgrimage in miniature

Some say walking it stood in for a journey to Jerusalem for those who could not travel.

A revival

Labyrinths have returned in hospitals, parks and retreat centres as walking meditation.

Learn

1. Maze or labyrinth?. A maze is a puzzle to solve. A labyrinth is a single path to follow.

Test yourself

Sources

• Labyrinth

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