Amiens Cathedral is one of the largest churches in France and one of the most complete 13th century Gothic churches. The rigorous coherence of its plan, with the perfect symmetry of the nave and choir on either side of the transept, the beauty of its three-tier interior elevation, the audacious lightness of its structure that marks a new stage towards the conquest of luminosity, the wealth of its sculpted decoration and its stained glass makes it one of the most remarkable examples of medieval architecture.
I do not have much to add - is truly a beautiful Cathedral, both visually stunning and spiritually elevating.
I chose not to give a detailed account of the significant artistic and architectural features of the Cathedral and instead include a lot of pictures with some context/commentary in the captions. More information is available on Wikipedia and the two sites linked above, where I got most of my information. And should you be interested, there are no doubt many other sources of information on this remarkable Cathedral.
Exterior of Amiens Cathedral - photos taken at different times of the day
The west façade of the Amiens Cathedral in the setting sun. Above each of the three doors, or portals, are porches with pointed arches and tympanums filled with detailed sculpture. Above the porches are the Gallery of Kings, with twenty-two statues of the Kings of France. A central rose window lies between the two asymmetrical bell towers
Susan CarpenterHi Suzanne - The bell towers were constructed later and at different times, after the Cathedral was basically finished. The south tower was completed ~1366 and the north tower ~1406. Not sure why they differ in height, but some other differences reflect what was the popular "Gothic Style" at the time they were constructed. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Christ rendering judgement above the central portal, with the Virgin Mary on his right and John the Baptist on his left. Below are the judged, with naked souls being directed to hell by the devil while those blessed are guided to heaven by angels
Interior floor plan of Amiens Cathedral. I think this helps with some of the "Cathedral nomenclature" as well as orients you to where things are located in the church From Wikipedia, public domain.
A look up toward the vaults above the nave, giving an idea of the tiered structure and symmetry. The total height of the walls below the vault is 42 meters, and although second in height to Beauvais Cathedral, the Amiens Cathedral did not partially collapse
The view of the two upper tiers of the nave - the triforium and the clerestory windows that fill the cathedral with light. Also visible are tops of the arches that form the grand arcade, the lower of the three tiers
The "Gloire", a large Baroque screen of "sculpted and gilded wood representing heaven", was placed behind the altar in 1768. The monumental size of the screen can be appreciated in comparison to the people gathered in front of the altar to celebrate a wedding.
Labyrinths on the floor of the nave were common features of early Gothic cathedrals. The one shown here was made in the 19th century and is an exact copy of the 1288 original. While I was there, a young man was trying to engage visitors for an ad hoc tour of the cathedral, and one of his openings was explaining/demonstrating the maze-like feature of the floor
Among the most notable features in the interior (and my favorite) are the colored sculptures in the ambulatory walkways. One of those on the south side depicts the life of Saint Fermin, who was considered the first bishop of Amiens. On the north side, a sculpture illustrates the life of Saint John the Baptist. A head reputed to be that of Saint John the Baptist was brought to Amiens in 1203, which not only resulted in Amiens becoming an important pilgrimage destination but was also a major impetus for construction of the Amiens Cathedral.
This sculpture depicts scenes from the life of St. Firmin as well as the tomb of Bishop Ferry de Beauvoir
A closer look at the scene depicting the beheading of Saint John the Baptist. The reputed head of Saint John the Baptist was an important relic of the Amiens Cathedral, though the original was destroyed during the French Revolution
Susan CarpenterThanks Lucy - I’d love to see your gob-smacked face IRL! Thinking of RAGBRAI L next summer - are you in? Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Rich FrasierOf all the big gothic cathedrals, this is my favorite. Absolutely beautiful! Thanks for taking me back. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Lucy MartinIt is the 50th anniversary of RAGBRAI next year—maybe we’ll finally get the mythical diagonal route? I do owe you a RAGBRAI. I’m in if you are 😊 Reply to this comment 2 years ago
