Amiens - Cathedral of Notre-Dame

To the east of the Town Hall in Amiens is the Cathedral of Notre- Dame, the largest in France in terms of area (7,700 sq. m/9210 sq. yd) and in ground plan and construction a classic example of French Gothic (which also provided the model for Cologne Cathedral). Built to replace an earlier cathedral destroyed by fire in 1218, it was begun in 1220 by Robert de Luzarches, Thomas de Cormont and his son Regnault, and was practically complete by 1264; the facade was built in the 15th century The two dissimilar towers on the west front barely rise above roof level; the south tower dates from 1366, the north tower from the early 15th century The tower over the crossing was added in 1529.

The three doorways on the west front, which was strongly influenced by Notre-Dame in Paris, are decorated with a profusion of statues, mostly of Old and New Testament figures, which are among the earliest masterpieces of Gothic cathedral sculpture.

Particularly fine is the figure of Christ in the attitude of blessing (the "Beau Dieu d'Amiens", century 1240) on the middle pier of the central doorway. On either side are apostles and prophets, and in the tympanum is a representation of the Last Judgment. The right-hand doorway is dedicated to the virgin, the left-hand one to St Firmin, patron saint of Picardy. Above the doorways runs a gallery of 22 statues of French kings, and above this again is a magnificent rose window 11 m/36ft in diameter. Also of note is the doorway of the south transept, mainly devoted to the life of St Honoré (Honoratus), a later bishop of Amiens. On the central pier is the famous Vierge Dorée (so called because the figure was formerly gilded), a much imitated masterpiece of Gothic sculpture.

The 42.3 m/139ft high interior, with its 126 pillars, is one of the world's supreme achievements in the organization of space and shows the High Gothic architecture of northern France in its greatest perfection. In the nave are the 13th century tombs of Bishop Evrard de Fouilloy (d. 1222) and his successor Geoffroy d'Eu (d. 1236). In the five-aisled choir, enclosed by a magnificent wrought-iron grille (18th century), are choir-stalls carved by various local artists between 1508 and 1518, with no fewer than 3650 figures in some 400 scenes from the most varied fields of religious and secular life. On the choir screen (14th-15th century) are very fine painted and gilded carvings in high relief (scenes from the life of St Firmin, John the Baptist, etc.). Behind the high altar is the tomb of a canon named Lucas, by Blasset (1628), with a famous weeping angel. In the left-hand transept is a much venerated relic (part of John the Baptist's head). The pulpit is Baroque.