Notre Dame of Amiens

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 one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture. On December 12, 1854, it was elevated to the status of basilica by Pope Pius IX. Since 1981, the cathedral has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


Construction began in 1220, after an older cathedral was destroyed by fire. The building started with the nave and not, 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, a number of chapels were added between the buttresses of the side aisles.


Some features of the cathedral are its brightness and the harmony of its proportions. The ground plan, the three-part elevation of the nave, the statues on the main façade and in the southern transept, as well as the labyrinth and other patterns in the floor, are also remarkable.


Inside the cathedral, there are two bronze tombs from the 13th century, namely those of Geoffroy d'Eu and Evrard de Fouilloy, the bishop who commissioned the reconstruction of the cathedral in 1220. These tombs are rare examples of casting art from this period.


The façade is illuminated during the holiday season at the end of the year and in the summer evenings with colored light that mimics the original colors of the sculptures on the façade.


The Notre-Dame of Amiens has served as an example for the construction of many churches, including St. John's Cathedral in 's-Hertogenbosch, St. Martin's Church in Aalst, the Cologne Cathedral, and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York.

Wim Hak