Amiens Cathedral

Amiens cathedral is more fortunate than many of the coeval churches because during the French

Revolution, when was ordered the destruction of all the images of kings and saints, local

authorities protected those of the cathedral.

Later, the cathedral escaped the bombing of the two world wars, so its rich sculptural heritage has

arrived to our present day virtually intact, though partially modified by the mediocre restorations

of the nineteenth century.

We can analyze its plant, its façade and its interior

PLANT

This cathedral, like medieval churches, is printed east to west. This means that the main door is to

the east while the altar is to the west.

The form is a latin cross.

We can recognize a narthex, that is the entrance foyer, and two lateral towers.

There are 3 naves: a central nave and two side aisles.

The naves are interrupted by the transept that is tripartite.

After the transept there is the choir (reserved for the clergy or monks, who performed services

throughout the day) and the apse that is surrounded by the ambulatory.

Around the ambulatory there are 7 radial chapels.

FAÇADE

The main facade of the cathedral is impressive. The construction is very high and reaching towards

the sky. We can analyze 4 levels.

FIRST LEVEL On the first level there are 3 portals. These

portals are richly decorated with religious sculptures and statues about the stories of the old and

the new testament, especially in the archivolt. In the middle of the three doors there is the

trumeau, that is a carved pillar ( it is a feature of Gothic architecture). One of this represents the

coronation of the virgin.

Overall, the church has 9 portals: 3 for each side.

SECOND and THIRD LEVEL On the second level there are two gallery. The

higher gallery is called “The gallery of Kings” because there are the statues of the kings of Judea

and Israel, fitted in the niches.

On the third level there is the typical rose window with a diameter greater than 11 meters.

FOURTH LEVEL On the fourth level there are the final part of the

two lateral towers. To the left there is the bell tower.

Finial, niches, pinnacles, gable, crocket are all decorative elements that help to raise upwords the

construction.

INTERIOR

In the interior we can analyze the aisles and the roof.

The major arcade (formed of sharp arches), is topped by a

second arcade, called the gallery (characterized by the triforium), which is topped by the

clerestory with suggestive and colored glasses.

The nave was used for the procession of the clergy to the altar.

The roof is formed by cross vault that is a

structure created by intersection of vaults.