Notre Dame

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady (French: Notre-Dame) is the largest church in the French city of Amiens, the capital of Picardy. It is the largest Gothic cathedral in France and, along with those of Chartres, Reims, and Bourges, is one of the purest examples of Gothic architecture. On December 12, 1854, it was elevated to basilica status by Pope Pius IX. Since 1981, the cathedral has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Construction began in 1220, after an older cathedral was destroyed by fire. The building commenced with the nave, rather than, as was customary, with the choir. The nave was completed in 1247. It has a height of nearly 43 meters. The cathedral was completed in 1269. Between 1292 and 1375, several chapels were added between the buttresses of the side aisles. In the 19th century, after a long period of neglect, Viollet-le-Duc undertook a thorough restoration that took more than 25 years. This restoration was not without controversies, as elements were added to the interior that the medieval building had never known. The façade was also significantly altered by the addition of a second gallery between the upper parts of the towers.

Wim Hak