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, status =

Cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...

, functional status = Active , architect =

Robert of Luzarches Robert of Luzarches (born in Luzarches near Pontoise towards the end of the twelfth century) was a 13th-century French architect who worked on the cathedral of Notre Dame in Amiens. He is said to have been summoned to Paris by King Philip II ...

Thomas and Regnault de Cormont , style = High Gothic , years built = , groundbreaking = , completed date = , length = , width = , width nave = , height = , diameter = , other dimensions = Façade: NW , floor area = 7,700 square meters , tower quantity = , tower height = , spire quantity = 1 , spire height = , materials = , bells = , bells hung = , bell weight = , diocese = Amiens , province = Reims , bishop = Bishop Gérard Le Stang , organistdom = , director = , organist = , embedded = The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Amiens (french: Basilique Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens), or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

church. The

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...

is the seat of the Bishop of Amiens. It is situated on a slight ridge overlooking the River Somme in Amiens, the administrative capital of the Picardy region of France, some north of Paris. The cathedral was built almost entirely between 1220 and , a remarkably short period of time for a Gothic cathedral, giving it an unusual unity of style. Amiens is a classic example of the High Gothic style of

Gothic architecture Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It ...

. It also has some features of the later

Rayonnant In French Gothic architecture, Rayonnant () is the period from about the mid-13th century to mid-14th century. It was characterized by a shift away from the High Gothic search for increasingly large size toward more spatial unity, refined decora ...

style in the enlarged high windows of the choir, added in the mid-1250s. Its builders were trying to maximize the internal dimensions in order to reach for the heavens and bring in more light. As a result, Amiens Cathedral is the largest in France, , large enough to contain two cathedrals the size of Notre Dame of Paris. The cathedral has been listed as a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

since 1981. Although it has lost much of its original stained glass, Amiens Cathedral is renowned for the quality and quantity of early 13th-century Gothic sculpture in the main west façade and the south

transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building wi ...

portal, and a large quantity of polychrome sculpture from later periods inside the building.

History

Earlier cathedrals

According to local tradition, Christianity was brought to Amiens in the third century A.D. by two Christian martyrs, known as Firmin the Martyr and Firmin the Confessor. Saint Martin was baptised in Amiens in 334. The church was suppressed by the invasions of the

Vandals The Vandals were a Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century. The Vandals migrated to the area betw ...

, and did not recommence until the end of the fifth century, with the baptism of Clovis I in 498 or 499. The first Bishop of Amiens was Edibus, who participated in a Council in 511. An early cathedral with two churches dedicated to the two Fermins is said in documents to have existed on the site of the present church, but there is no archaeological evidence. Salvius, bishop of Amiens around 600, is credited with building this cathedral, but his ''Life'' is of very dubious accuracy. A fire destroyed the two churches and much of the town, and a Romanesque cathedral was built to replace it between 1137 and 1152. This cathedral hosted the wedding in 1193 of King

Philip II of France Philip II (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223), byname Philip Augustus (french: Philippe Auguste), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. His predecessors had been known as kings of the Franks, but from 1190 onward, Philip became the first French m ...

. In 1206 Amiens received a celebrated relic, the reputed head of

, purchased in Constantinople. This relic made Amiens a major pilgrimage destination, and gave it an important source of revenue (The reliquary was destroyed during the French Revolution but a recreation made in 1876 by a Paris jeweler, using some of the original rock crystal, is displayed today in the cathedral treasury).

Construction

File:Cathédrale, AmiensTP.JPG, Exterior of Amiens Cathedral File:78687979е.jpg, Cutaway plan of the cathedral A fire destroyed the Romanesque cathedral in 1218. A plan for a new cathedral was made by master-builder

Robert de Luzarches Robert of Luzarches (born in Luzarches near Pontoise towards the end of the twelfth century) was a 13th-century French architect who worked on the cathedral of Notre Dame in Amiens. He is said to have been summoned to Paris by King Philip II ...

, and in 1220 Bishop Evrard de Fouilloy laid the first stone. Luzarches revolutionised the system of Gothic construction by using pieces of stone of standardised sizes and forms, rather than making unique pieces for each function. He was the architect until 1228, and was followed by Thomas de Cormont until 1258. His son, Renaud de Cormont, acted as the architect until 1288. The construction was carried out, unusually, from the west to the east, beginning in the nave. De Cormont gave the structure its striking dimensions and harmony by his construction of the grand arcades and the upper windows. The nave was completed in 1236, and by 1269, the upper windows of the choir were in place. At the end of the 13th century, the arms of the transept were completed, and in the beginning of the 14th century the facades and the upper towers were finished. While these works underway, the chapels between the buttresses and at the angles of the transept were added.

Strengthening (15th century)

The original design of the flying buttresses around the choir had them placed too high to counteract the force of the ceiling arch pushing outwards resulting in excessive lateral forces being placed on the vertical columns. The structure was only saved when masons placed a second row of more robust flying buttresses that connected lower down on the outer wall.NOVA | Building the Great Cathedrals
In 1497 the four pillars of the transept crossing, as well as the two left columns of the chevet began to show cracks and other signs of stress. A team of experts examined the damage and carried out some repairs, but the cracks continued. The problem was finally resolved by Pierre Tarisel, who in 1498 installed a

wrought iron Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.08%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4%). It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which give it a wood-like "grain" ...

bar chain In structural engineering and construction, an eyebar is a straight bar, usually of metal, with a hole ("eye") at each end for fixing to other components. Eyebars are used in structures such as bridges, in settings in which only tension, and n ...

around the level to resist the forces pushing the stone columns outward. The chain was installed red hot to act as a cinch, tightening as it cooled, and is still in place. In 1503 Tarisel took similar actions to reinforce portions of the entrance of the choir.

Modifications (16–18th century)

File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-Dame Süd-Rosette.jpg, The Flamboyant south rose window (16th c.) In the 16th century, the cathedral suffered damage from fires, windstorms, and the explosion of a nearby

powder mill A powder mill was a mill where gunpowder is made from sulfur, saltpeter and charcoal. Milling steps Crude grinding and mixing operations such as the Frankford Powder-Mill of Philadelphia were a cottage industry until the industrial revolution ...

, without major damage. It also underwent several modifications to accommodate changing styles; a new rose window, in the

Flamboyant Gothic Flamboyant (from ) is a form of late Gothic architecture that developed in Europe in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, from around 1375 to the mid-16th century. It is characterized by double curves forming flame-like shapes in the bar-tr ...

style, full of curls and counter-curls, was installed in the west transept. In the 18th century, architectural modifications were made to comply with new doctrines pronounced by the

Council of Trent The Council of Trent ( la, Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, it has been described a ...

. The old medieval rood screen between the choir and nave was replaced by an ornate iron grill choir screen, so that the parishioners in the nave could see the altar. The altar itself was modified, removing the twelve massive candelabras and twelve chests of relics of martyred saints. Major works were also carried out to strengthen the flying buttresses.

The Revolution and the 19th century

File:Roberts, David, Interior of Amiens Cathedral, ca. 1827.jpg, Interior of the cathedral by David Roberts (c. 1827) File:Jules Victor Génisson - Interior da Catedral de Amiens - 1842.jpg, Interior of the cathedral by Jules Victor Genisson (1842) File:Amiens sepia aerial 1878.png, Sepia photograph of the cathedral in 1878 The cathedral, like other cathedrals across France, suffered considerable damage during the French Revolution. Much of the sculpture was smashed with hammers, and the heads of many statues were broken off. Many of the furnishings, fittings and treasures were stolen; part of the cathedral was used as a storehouse for materials used in various Revolutionary celebrations. The cathedral was returned to its religious function in 1800, and the first restoration work began in 1802. Beginning in 1810, the neoclassical architect Etienne Hyppolyte Godde was put in charge of the work, followed in 1821 by Francois Auguste Cheussey, who commissioned three sculptors to make new statues. After the press criticized faults in the sculpture and restoration, Cheussey resigned and was replaced in 1849 by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Viollet-le-Duc began a more ambitious program aimed at returning the building as much as possible to its medieval spirit, including adding sculpted gargoyles and other typical Gothic features. Viollet-le-Duc worked almost continually on the cathedral until 1874.

Protection and restoration (20th century)

Damage done by the second shell which struck the Cathedral (4687985979)

The stained glass windows of the church were removed to protect them during both world wars, and the church suffered only minor damage. However, in 1920, some of the windows, which were being stored in the workshop of a master glass maker, for their protection, were destroyed by a fire. Between 1973 and 1980, the

flèche Flèche or Fleche may refer to: *Flèche (architecture), a type of church spire *Flèche (cycling), a team cycling competition *Flèche (fencing) The flèche is an aggressive offensive fencing technique used with foil and épée. Background ...

, or spire, was entirely restored. In 1981, the cathedral was declared a UNESCO

. Restoration of the west facade was completed in 2001. In 1992, the art historian Stephen Murray was appointed by the

French Ministry of Culture The Ministry of Culture (french: Ministère de la Culture) is the ministry of the Government of France in charge of national museums and the . Its goal is to maintain the French identity through the promotion and protection of the arts (visua ...

in the scientific committee to oversee the restoration of Amiens Cathedral: Murray was made an honorary citizen of Amiens and awarded an honorary Doctorate at University of Picardy, Jules Verne, following this work.

Timeline

* 346 – First mention of a bishop, Eulogius, in Amiens * 1137–52 – Construction of the Romanesque cathedral * 1206 – Reputed Skull of Saint John the Baptist is brought to the cathedral from Constantinople * 1218 – Romanesque cathedral destroyed by fire * 1220 – First stone placed of Gothic cathedral * c. 1240 – Completion of the nave * c. 1269 – Probable completion of chevet and installation of its high windows * c. 1284–1305 – Roof built over chevet, transept and nave * 1373–1375 – Chapels of Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist built, and construction of Beau Pilier begun * 1498 – Iron chains added to strengthen the triforium * 1508–1519 – Choir stalls put in place * 1528 – Spire destroyed by lightning * 1755- Choir screen removed and choir remodeled following decrees of

* 1766–1768 – Choir redecorated in Baroque and French classical style * 1793–1794 – Following French Revolution, much furniture destroyed, and part of cathedral used to store decorations for public festivities * 1802 – Church restored to the Catholic Church for its exclusive use * 1805 – Restoration of church begins * 1849–1874 – Eugène Viollet-le-Duc supervises the restoration of the cathedral * 1854 – Chapel of Saint Theodosius dedicated in presence of Emperor

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...

* 1914–1918 – Stained glass removed for its protection; cathedral facade suffers minor damage during World War I * 1920 – Some of the Gothic stained glass stored for protection is destroyed in a fire in the workshop. * 1973–80 – Restoration of the spire completed. * 1981 – Cathedral is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site * 2001 – A new restoration of the west front uncovers traces of the original painting on the sculpture

Exterior

The west facade and the portals

File:Amiens cathedral 002.JPG, The rose window and gallery of Kings on the west facade File:Amiens cathédrale10.JPG, West portals of Amiens Cathedral File:Cathédrale d'Amiens, façade - détail.JPG, Christ rendering judgement in the central portal File:Amiens west entrance martyrs.JPG, Local saints including the decapitated martyrs, Victoricus and Gentian, in the west portals File:Amiens Portail Vierge détail.jpg, Smiling Virgin statue on west portal The west facade of the cathedral was built in a single campaign from 1220 to 1236, and shows an unusual degree of artistic unity. The level of the rose window was finished in about 1240. Afterward, construction moved more slowly. The upper parts of the towers were not completed until the 14th century. The facade has three deep porches with pointed arches, covering the three portals. Above the portals are two galleries; the upper is the Gallery of Kings, with twenty-two life-size statues of the kings of France. Nearly all of the statues date to the restoration by Viollet-le-Duc. Above the gallery is the rose window, whose stone

tracery Tracery is an architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the stonework elements that support the ...

or framework dates from the 16th century. Above the rose window is the Musicians or Bellringers gallery, a 19th-century reconstruction of the original. The central portal is dedicated to the Last Judgement, the left portal to the martyr

Saint Firmin Fermin (also Firmin, from Latin ''Firminus''; Spanish ''Fermín'') was a legendary holy man and martyr, traditionally venerated as the co-patron saint of Navarre, Spain. His death may be associated with either the Decian persecution (250) or Dio ...

; and the right portal to the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

. Over each portal is a tympanum filled with sculpture. The centerpiece of the Tympanum of the Last Judgement is the figure of Christ, raising his hands, judging those below him. On his right and left, the Virgin Mary and Saint John appeal to him to be merciful. The good Christians, to his right, are escorted to Paradise, while the sinners, to his left, are marched to hell. A recent cleaning of the sculpture revealed traces of the painted red marks on Christ's hands, representing where nails were driven during his

crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagi ...

. Statues of saints in the tympanum include locally venerated Saints Victoricus and Gentian,

Saint Domitius Saint Domitius (Domice) of Amiens (fl. 8th century) is a French saint, venerated especially in the diocese of Amiens. He is remembered for providing spiritual guidance to Saint Ulphia. Domitius is said to have been a deacon of the church of Am ...

, Saint Ulphia, and Saint Fermin.

Bell towers

The upper portions of the towers of the west facade, above the rose window, were later constructions, and are of different heights. The south bell tower on the right facing the facade, is shorter and was completed first in about 1366, The north tower was completed in 1406, and is decorated in the late Gothic

Flamboyant style Flamboyant (from ) is a form of late Gothic architecture that developed in Europe in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, from around 1375 to the mid-16th century. It is characterized by double curves forming flame-like shapes in the bar-tr ...

. The elaborate Bell-Ringers or Musicians Gallery, which joins the two towers at the roof level, was added at this time, and was substantially restored or recreated in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc. Viollet-le-Duc redesigned the gallery on the model of the gallery of Chartres Cathedral from the same period. File:Tours de la cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens 1.jpg, The flamboyant north tower (c. 1406) and the south tower (c. 1366) File:ND Amiens tour sud 1.jpg, The south tower, with a sundial on the left

Beau Pilier

One unusual feature of the towers is the ''Beau Pilier'' (Beautiful pillar), a supporting buttress that was added in the 14th century at the junction between the north tower the first of two new chapels built on the north side. The pillar and chapels were commissioned by Jean de la Grange, Bishop of Amiens (1373–1375) who was a principal advisor to King Charles VI of France. The pillar holds nine statues representing the major political, religious and military figures of France at the time; at the bottom, Cardinal de la Grange himself; The Chamberlain, Bureau de la Riviere, and Admiral Jean de Vienne, above them, King Charles himself (Centre); his son the Dauphin, the future King Charles VI of France, and his younger son. Above these statues are statues of John the Baptist, The Virgin Mary, and Saint Firmin. File:Contrefort tour Nord Amiens 180908 03.jpg, King Charles I of France, on the Beau Pilier (14th c.) File:Beau Pilier de la cathédrale d'Amiens, saint-Jean-Baptiste 2.jpg, Sculpture on the Beau Pilier – St, John the Baptist (14th c.) File:Vierge Cathédrale d'Amiens 090608.jpg, The Virgin Mary on the Beau Pilier (14th c.)

The flèche

The original 13th-century

, or spire of the cathedral, located over the crossing point of the transept and nave, was destroyed by lightning in 1528, but was replaced by a flèche constructed of wood covered with gilded lead plates in 1533. It was frequently damaged by storms and repaired in the following years but, unlike the flèche of Notre Dame de Paris, never entirely redesigned and rebuilt. It still retains much original 16th century material, including the wooden framework. From the ground to sculpted cockerel at the pinnacle, the flèche reaches a height of . The statues on the flèche, made of lead, represent Christ (facing the nave); Saint Paul, Saint Firmin (wearing a Bishop's mitre); Saint John the Evangelist; The Virgin Mary crowned and holding the infant Jesus; Saint John the Baptist; Saint James the Great and Saint Peter. File:Fleche.cathedrale.Amiens.3.png, The flèche as drawn by Viollet-le-Duc File:Amiens France Cathédrale-Notre-Dame-d-Amiens-11.jpg, The flèche of Amiens Cathedral (16th c.) File:Flèche Cathédrale d'Amiens 300908 2.jpg, Sculpture of the flèche

Flying buttresses

The

flying buttress The flying buttress (''arc-boutant'', arch buttress) is a specific form of buttress composed of an arch that extends from the upper portion of a wall to a pier of great mass, in order to convey lateral forces to the ground that are necessary to pu ...

es are the architectural device that made possible the exceptional height of the walls of the nave and choir. The arched buttresses leap over the outer, lower level of the cathedral, where the ambulatory and chapels are located, to stabilise the upper walls of the clerestory. They counteract the outward and downward thrust of the vaulted ceiling, so that the walls between the buttresses can be thin and mostly filled with large windows. The buttresses were later given additional stability by the placement of heavy stone pinnacles on top of their vertical piers. The buttresses of the nave are older, from about 1230, and each pier has two arches, one above the other. Both make a single jump to the wall of the nave; one arch meets the wall just above the point of maximum outward thrust from the nave vault; the other just below that point. The buttresses of the choir are slightly later and were finished about 1260, to a different design. Each buttress has two vertical piers, one taller than the other, and the arches reach the wall by means of two vaults, meeting it at the point of maximum outward thrust. These choir buttresses have an additional function; channels in the top of the arches carry rain water as far as possible from the structure, jetting it out from the mouths of carved gargoyles. File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-dame arc-boutant sud-est 4.jpg, The flying buttresses between the bays supporting the upper walls of the choir File:Coupe.cathedrale.Amiens.png, The early buttresses (c. 1230) of the nave, drawn by Viollet-Le-Duc in the 19th cent. File:Arc.boutant.cathedrale.Amiens.png, The later reinforced double buttresses of the choir (c. 1260)

Interior

File:Amiens cathedral floorplan.JPG, Plan of Cathedral

The nave

The nave and the transept were the areas where the public worshiped, while the choir was reserved for clergy. At Amiens, the Nave followed the model of the

Early Gothic Early Gothic is the style of architecture that appeared in northern France, Normandy and then England between about 1130 and the mid-13th century. It combined and developed several key elements from earlier styles, particularly from Romanesque ar ...

Chartres Cathedral Chartres Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres (french: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres), is a Roman Catholic church in Chartres, France, about southwest of Paris, and is the seat of the Bishop of Chartres. Mostly con ...

and Soissons Cathedral. The elevation has three levels; the grand arcades, the triforium, and the clerestory at the top. The grand arcades, unlike earlier cathedrals, occupy a full half of the height of the wall. The pillars of the arcade, eighteen meters high, are composed of massive columns surrounded by four thinner colonettes, which continue up the walls to support the vaulted ceiling. The total height of the walls beneath the vaults is 42 meters, compared with 36 meters at Chartres Cathedral and Reims Cathedral. They are exceeded in height only by

Beauvais Cathedral The Cathedral of Saint Peter of Beauvais (french: Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Beauvais) is a Roman Catholic church in the northern town of Beauvais, Oise, France. It is the seat of the Bishop of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis. The cathedral is in ...

, whose vaults partially collapsed in 1284. File:Amiens Cathedral Nave 2, Picardy, France - Diliff.jpg, The Baroque pulpit and the nave File:Voutes amiens.JPG, The upper windows of the nave

The pulpit

The Baroque pulpit on the north side of the nave was installed in 1773 and is made of painted and gilded wood. The pulpit is supported by statues representing Faith, Hope and Charity. Behind the pulpit gilded stone drapery. The tester is carved to resemble clouds supported by stone angels. Atop the "clouds" is a larger angel, pointing heavenwards, holding a book with the inscription, ''Hoc fac et vives'' (Do this and you shall live). File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-Dame Innen Kanzel 4.jpg, The Baroque pulpit File:Chaire Amiens Détail.jpg, Detail of the pulpit; Faith, Hope, and Charity File:Chaire Cathédrale d'Amiens 110608 04.jpg, The angel atop the Pulpit

The transept

The transept crossing the church in the center is seventy meters long, and divided into three vessels. The centre of the transept, where it crosses the nave, is covered by a massive star vault, one of the earliest in France, supported by four massive pillars. The elevation has three levels, like the nave; the arcades, triforium and the clerestory at the top. The triforium and the clerestory are entirely walled with stained glass, filling the center of the cathedral with light. The rose windows are later additions. The north rose window is in the

Rayonnant style In French Gothic architecture, Rayonnant () is the period from about the mid-13th century to mid-14th century. It was characterized by a shift away from the High Gothic search for increasingly large size toward more spatial unity, refined decora ...

, while the later south rose window is in the Flamboyant style. The spire over the central crossing was added between 1529 and 1533. File:Amiens Cathedral North Stainedglass Wikimedia Commons.jpg, Transept and north stained glass windows File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-Dame Innen Vierung 2.jpg, The star vault of the transept, where it meets the nave File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-Dame Innen Südliches Querschiff.jpg, South transept rose window (16th century)

The choir

The early 16th century choir stalls, are among the great treasures of the cathedral. The upper rows were occupied by the Canons and the lower by the Clerks. The King's representative occupied the first seat in the north stalls, and the

dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean Titles * ...

of the cathedral, the senior clergyman, the first seat in the south stalls. The stalls are decorated with a multitude of carved figures, more than four thousand in total. The armrests, pendentives and dais are also richly decorated with sculpted images of animals both real and mythical, figures from the Old and New Testaments and secular images of professions and trades in the city. One hundred ten of the original one hundred twenty stalls are the original 16th century fabric and carving. File:Amiens Cathedral choir Wikimedia Commons.jpg, The choir and choir stalls, facing east to the apse File:Stalles Cathédrale d'Amiens 280808 06.jpg, The choir stalls File:Stalles Cathédrale d'Amiens 280808 05.jpg, Detail of the choir stall carvings – the Assumption The ambulatory surrounding the choir is richly decorated with polychrome sculpture and flanked by numerous chapels. One of the most sumptuous is the Drapers' chapel. The cloth industry was the most dynamic component of the medieval economy, especially in northern France, and the cloth merchants were keen to display their wealth and civic pride. Another striking chapel is dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury, a 13th-century dedication that complements the cathedral's own very full list of martyrs. The interior contains works of art and decoration from every period since the building of the cathedral. There are notably baroque paintings of the 17th century, by artists such as

Frans II Francken Frans Francken the Younger (1581 in Antwerp, 1581 – 6 May 1642, in Antwerp) was a Flemish painter who created altarpieces and furniture panels and gained his reputation chiefly through his small and delicate cabinet pictures with historical, m ...

and Laurent de La Hyre.

The Choir screen (15th–16th c.)

Among the most celebrated art treasures of the cathedral are the polychrome sculptures which are displayed in the ambulatory, on the outer walls of the enclosure of the Choir. They illustrate the lives of Saint Fermin (south side, made between 1490 and 1530) and John the Baptist (north side, made in 1531)). Both subjects were connected with the cathedral; The purported head of John the Baptist was an important relic held in the treasury, and the martyred Saint Fermin was considered the first bishop of Amiens. Another group of polychrome sculpture in the north ambulatory depicts in imaginative fashion Christ's cleansing of the Temple. The tombs of several bishops and other religious figures of the cathedral, also abundantly decorated are found in the lower portions of the enclosure, below the sculptural scenes. File:1074 - Cathédrale mausolée de Ferry de Beauvoir - Amiens.jpg, Scenes from the life of St. Firmin and the tomb of Bishop Ferry de Beauvoir (1490–1530) File:Amiens - vie de saint Firmin 2.jpg, A scene from the life of Saint Firmin

The altar

In the mid-18th century the centre of the cathedral was entirely redesigned in the

Roccoco Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...

style, to follow changes in church doctrine ordained by the

and changing architectural taste. A new floor of coloured marble was installed, along with a new main altar. In 1768 the "Gloire", a monumental Baroque screen of sculpted and gilded wood representing heaven and crowded with sculpture of cherubs and angel was placed behind the altar. File:Grille Cathédrale d'Amiens 110608 1.jpg, Detail of the Baroque choir grill (18th c.) File:Altar in Amiens Cathedral.JPG, The baroque high altar and "Gloire" screen (1755–68) File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-Dame Innen Chor Hochaltar 3.jpg, Detail of the "Gloire" screen

The labyrinth

labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (, ) was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by t ...

in the centre of the floor of the nave was a common feature of early and High Gothic cathedrals; they were also found in the cathedrals of Sens, Chartres, Arras and Reims. It symbolised the obstacles and twists and turns of the journey toward salvation, but also showed that with determination the journey was possible. On certain religious holidays, pilgrims would follow the labyrinth on their knees. The Amiens labyrinth is 240 meters long and was originally laid out in 1288 by the architect Rene de Cormont. The labyrinth today is an exact copy, made in the 19th century. File:AmienCathedralLabyrinth.JPG, The labyrinth on the floor of the nave File:Amiens centre labyrinthe.JPG, The centre of the labyrinth

The chevet and east chapels

The east end of the cathedral largely preserves the original medieval design, containing the choir, the space reserved for the clergy. It is surrounded by a very ornate carved wooden screen, and seven chapels in the semicircular apse. An ambulatory allows visitors to walk around the circuit of the chapels behind the choir. The semicircular wall at the east end marked a new stage in the development of the Gothic. The upper walls of the clerestory, just beneath the vaults, and the walls of the triforium below them were entirely filled with glass. The arches of the triforium and arcades were topped with pointed arches, stressing the vertical, and admitted a maximum amount of light from different heights and directions, depending upon the time of day. Light also filtered down into the disambulatory from the upper levels. Seven chapels are arranged around the semicircular east end. The Lady's Chapel, dedicated to The Virgin Mary, was at the very end of the cathedral, was reserved for the servants of the Canons who lived in the cloisters of the cathedral. The first chapel on the south side of the chevet is devoted to

Saint Eloi Saint Eligius (also Eloy, Eloi or Loye; french: Éloi; 11 June 588 – 1 December 660 AD) is the patron saint of goldsmiths, other metalworkers, and coin collectors. He is also the patron saint of veterinarians, the Royal Electrical and Mechani ...

, and now serves as the entrance to the cathedral treasury. Its primary decoration is a series of eight paintings of the Sibyls from the 16th century. Three of the chapels in the east end were entirely re-fitted by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century to return them to what was thought to be their medieval aspect; these are St. Theodisius, in the north, The Lady's Chapel (Notre-Dame-Drapiere) in the centre, and Saint Jacques or the Sacred Heart, in the south. Viollet-le-Duc designed all the furnishings and decoration, including the gilded bronze altar in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart. File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-Dame Chor 05.jpg, The chevet or east end of the cathedral, with its radiating chapels File:Sibylle Cathédrale d'Amiens 110608.jpg, Chapel of St. Eloi, painting of a Sibyl (16th century) File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-Dame Innen Chorscheitelkapelle 2.jpg, Chapel of Notre Dame-Drapiere (Lady's Chapel), early 14th century with 19th century furnishings and decoration

The lateral and transept chapels

In addition to the chapels at the east end, small chapels occupy both sides of the nave and angles of the transept. The original decoration of these chapels was replaced in the 18th century by the present decor. Each chapel is dedicated to a particular saint, and features large paintings reaching up to the windows, altars, stone and wooden statuary, all from the 18th century. The chapels are closed by ornamental wrought-iron screens and gates. In the north transept, the Chapel of Saint Peter occupies the northeast corner. It was created in response to the plague epidemic that struck Amiens in 1667–68, but was not completed until 1709. It was made by Gilles Oppenord, one of the pioneers of the Rococo style. On the east side of the north transept is the Chapel of Saint Sebastian, also known as the Chapel of the Green Pillar. At its summit is a sculpture by Nicolas Blasset, "Saint Sebastian surrounded by the allegories of Justice, Peace, and Saint Roche", which was completed in 1627. A sculpture of Saint Louis by

Louis Duthoit Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ...

was added to the chapel in 1832. On the west wall of the north transept are four scenes in high relief showing Christ driving the merchants from the Temple, made in 1523 by Jean Wytz. Another early work in the transept is the altarpiece of the Chapel of Our Lady of the Red Pillar, an assembly of sculpture and paintings, clustered around a main pillar. It was completed in 1627 by Nicolas Blasset. The painting of the

Assumption of Mary The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it in 1950 in his apostolic constitution '' Munificentissimus Deus'' as follows: We proclaim and define it to be a dogma revealed by ...

(1627) is by François Franken, and the sculptures of Saint Sebastian, the Virgin Mary, David and Solomon, and Judith and Saint Genevieve, made by Blasset. The south transept contains the Chapel of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, in the southeast corner, with statues of those saints made by Jean-Baptiste Michel Dupuis in 1749. It also contains an altarpiece with a painting of the Adoration of the Magi from the early 18th century. A group of polychrome reliefs illustrating the vow of

, made in 1511, is found on the west wall of the south transept. File:Amiens Cathedrale Notre Dame Chapelle ND du Pilier Rouge (Ete2017).jpg, The Altar of the Chapel of the Red Pillar (1627) File:Chapelle Saint Sébastien Amiens 190908 2.jpg,

Saint Sebastian Saint Sebastian (in Latin: ''Sebastianus''; Narbo, Gallia Narbonensis, Roman Empire c. AD 255 – Rome, Italia, Roman Empire c. AD 288) was an early Christian saint and martyr. According to traditional belief, he was killed during the Diocle ...

, by Nicolas Blasset in the Chapel of the Green Pillar File:Chapelle Saint Sébastien Amiens 190908 1.jpg, Altar of the Chapel of the Green Pillar (17th c.)

The treasury

The treasury is located in the apse at the east end of the cathedral, on the southern side near the sacristy. The collection of reliquaries and other precious objects was dispersed in 1793 during the Revolution, but gradually some of the treasures were returned, some were recreated, while others were added by other donors. Objects of particular interest include the Crown of Paraclet, made in about 1230–1240, which was saved from destruction at the Cistercian monastery of Paraclet, not from Amiens. It contains what are said to be relics of the Passion of Christ, set into a gilded and enamelled crown decorated with jewels, pearls and precious stones. A fine statue of the Virgin Mary and Child, made of polychrome wood in the 15th century is also found in the treasury. Other objects of interest are found in the chapels along the nave and transept. The initial impetus for the building of the cathedral came from the installation of the reputed head of

on 17 December 1206. The head was part of the loot of the Fourth Crusade, which had been diverted from campaigning against the Turks to the sacking of

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...

, the capital of the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

. A sumptuous reliquary, with the face of the Saint, was made to house the skull. Although the skull and original reliquary were lost during the Revolution, a 19th-century replica was made and is displayed on the north aisle. File:Couronne-reliquaire du Paraclet 1.jpg, The crown reliquary of Paraclet (1230–1240) File:Statue de Vierge à l'Enfant en bois polychrome du XVe siècle 1.jpg, Virgin and Child, polychrome wood (15th c.) File:Reliquaire du chef de saint Jean-Baptiste 1.jpg, Copy of the reliquary made for the head of

Saint John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

(19th century)

Stained glass windows

Only a few of the original stained glass windows still remain; many were removed during the remodeling of the cathedral in the 18th century. Others were destroyed when the church was sacked by the Protestant

Huguenots The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

in 1561, by hurricanes in 1627 and 1705; by the explosion of a powder mill in 1675. A large group of early windows, which had been removed in 1914 to protect them from damage during the First World War, were destroyed in 1920 when the studio where they were stored was destroyed by fire. Some of the early glass dates from same period as those of Chartres Cathedral, though most of the earliest windows have disappeared. Some of the earliest glass, from about 1269, is found in two of the lancets in the high windows of the chapel at the end of the apse, at the east end of the cathedral. These two windows depict the same scene, one the inverse of the other. They show a clergyman presenting the stained glass to the Virgin Mary, to whom the chapel is dedicated. Angels carry crowns which they hold over the heads of the elongated figures. Several very early panels of glass, from about 1300, can be seen in the windows of the triforium, the mid-level of the wall, in the apse. They depict a procession of saints, apostles, prophets and bishops of monumental size, set against a background of light-coloured glass, to make them stand out. They face the centre of the Apse, underneath a window depicting the Virgin Mary and the Annunciation. A few other original 13th century panels, including one representing King David from a

Tree of Jesse The Tree of Jesse is a depiction in art of the ancestors of Jesus Christ, shown in a branching tree which rises from Jesse of Bethlehem, the father of King David. It is the original use of the family tree as a schematic representation of a g ...

window depicting the genealogy of Christ, are found in the Chapel of Saint Francis of Assisi, in the apse. The innovative feature of the upper windows of Amiens Cathedral was how they filled the entire space of the upper wall. Thanks to the thin stone mullions that separate the group of lancet windows and the small circular windows on the upper levels, and the massive buttresses on the exterior that provided support for the walls, the individual windows in each bay seemed to merge into one great window, filling the nave below with light. The largest part of the stained glass in the cathedral comes from the 19th century. The window in the Chapel of Saint Theodosius in the apse, for example, was made by the glass artist Gérente in 1854 donated by Emperor

Louis Napoleon Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...

. The lower portions of the window depict the Emperor, the Empress Eugenie, the Bishop of Amiens and Pope Pius IX. The cathedral also features some 20th-century

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

glass, in the Chapel of Sacré Coeur, made in 1932–1934 by the master glass artist Jean Gaudin, based on designs of the painter Jacques le Breton. File:Amiens Cathedral Ambulatory, Picardy, France - Diliff.jpg, Stained glass windows in the ambulatory File:Dernière Cène Amiens.jpg, Medallion of the Last Supper (13th century) File:Stained glass windows of Amiens Cathedral, pic-001.JPG, Windows of the central apse chapel (13th century) File:Quatre vitraux du treizième siècle - cathédrale d'Amiens.JPG, Four windows from the 13th century File:Stained glass windows of Amiens Cathedral, pic-003.JPG, Windows of the Chapel of Saint-Etienne File:Cathedral of Amiens glass window.jpg,

stained glass by Jean Gaudin (1933)

Rose windows

The three rose windows each represent a different period of the cathedral's construction. The rose window on the west facade is the oldest, from 1221 to 1230, from the High Gothic period, and represents

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

surrounded by the symbolic figures of the Apocalypse. The rose window of the north transept has the characteristic radiating tracery of the

Gothic. The rose window of the south transept is the latest, from 1489 to 1490, with the curves and reverse curves of the late Gothic Flamboyant style. It depicts fourteen angels, heads towards the centre of the window, in a style characteristic of the Picard style of window in the 15th century. File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-Dame Innen Westrosette 3.jpg, High Gothic rose window of the west facade (1221–1230) File:Rose windows of Amiens Cathedral.JPG, Rayonnant rose window of the north transept (14th c.) File:Amiens Cathedrale Notre Dame.- Rose du transept sud.jpg, Flamboyant rose window of the south transept (16th c.)

The organ

The first organ in the cathedral was a gift from Alphonse Lemire, an official of the court of King Charles VI of France. It was installed on the interior of the west wall of the cathedral, below the rose window, between 1442 and 1449. All that survives of this organ is wooden gallery, lavishly decorated with Flamboyant Gothic carvings. The current pipes and case were installed in 1549, with additions in 1620. It was restored in the 19th century and again shortly before World War II. File:537 - Cathédrale grand orgue - Amiens.jpg, The Cathedral organ File:Amiens Cathédrale Notre-Dame Innen Orgel 2.jpg, The Flamboyant decoration of the organ (15th century)

Light show – the West Front in colour

During the process of laser cleaning in the 1990s, evidence was discovered of the original multi-coloured painted decoration of the west front. A technique was perfected to determine the exact composition of the paints used in the 13th century. In conjunction with the laboratories of EDF and the expertise of the Society Skertzo, lighting techniques were developed to project these colours directly on the façade with precision, recreating the polychromatic appearance of the 13th century without touching the surface of the stone. When projected on the statues around the portals, the result is a stunning display that brings the figures to life. The projected colors are difficult to photograph, but a good quality

DSLR A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor. The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between a ...

camera can provide excellent results, as shown below. The full effect of the colour may be best appreciated by in-person viewing, with musical accompaniment, which can be done at the '' Son et lumière'' shows which are held on Summer evenings, during the Christmas Fair, and over the New Year.Official site of the polychromatic façade of the cathedral
File:Amiens cathedral Son et lumière 005.JPG, Sound and light show – central portal File:Amiens Cathédrale Spectacle 190908 03.jpg, Portal illuminated to suggest original colours File:Amiens cathedral Son et lumière 003.JPG, Sound and light show – central portal

Notable burials and memorials

* Elisabeth, Countess of Vermandois, wife of

Philip I, Count of Flanders Philip I (1143 – 1 August 1191), commonly known as Philip of Alsace, was count of Flanders from 1168 to 1191. During his rule Flanders prospered economically. He took part in two crusades and died of disease in the Holy Land. Count of Flanders ...

Charles de Hémard de Denonville Charles de Hémard de Denonville (1493–1540) was a French Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal. Biography Charles de Hémard de Denonville was born in Denonville in 1493, the son of Pierre Hémard, ''seigneur'' de Denonville, and Jeanne Frémiere ...

, Catholic bishop and cardinal * Antoine de Créqui Canaples (heart only), Catholic bishop and cardinal

Memorials

*The cathedral's south door contains eleven memorial tablets to commemorate the war dead from

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, mainly those who fought in the Battle of the Somme (1916). Nations commemorated are mostly British Empire and dominions (modern-day countries of the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, Australia, and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

). *Notable individuals commemorated include French World War I general Marie-Eugène Debeney,

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer

Raymond Asquith Raymond Herbert Asquith (6 November 1878 – 15 September 1916) was an English barrister and eldest son of British prime minister H. H. Asquith. A distinguished Oxford scholar, he was a member of the fashionable group of intellectuals known as ...

, and French

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

general

Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque Philippe François Marie Leclerc de Hauteclocque (22 November 1902 – 28 November 1947) was a Free-French general during the Second World War. He became Marshal of France posthumously in 1952, and is known in France simply as le maréchal ...

Notes and citations

Bibliography and sources

* * * * * * * * * * * "Amiens Cathedral, under Renovation."
undated albumen print from
, A. D. White Architectural Photographs Collection, Cornell University Rare and Manuscript Collections (5/5/3090.01261) *

External links

Towers of Amiens Cathedral - Official Website

Amiens Cathedral images, 360° panoramas, and essays.
In "Mapping Gothic France," a database created by Columbia University and Vassar College.
Outstanding photos of the cathedralPhotos
* ttp://www.calou.com/amiens Photos of the magnificent reproduction of the cathedral colors by laser projection*
Youtube page of Amiens Videos
produced by the Media Center for Art History at Columbia University for the Core Curriculum class "Masterpieces of Western Art"
Photos of the Amiens Cathedral (polish)
*High-resolution 360° Panoramas and Images o
Amiens Cathedral , Art Atlas
{{Authority control Buildings and structures completed in 1270 Amiens World Heritage Sites in France Roman Catholic cathedrals in France

Landmarks in France Basilica churches in France Churches in Somme (department) Gothic architecture in France Burial sites of the Herbertien dynasty Monuments of the Centre des monuments nationaux