Amiens Cathedral Size Guide report

Admiring one of France's most stunning Gothic cathedrals is reason enough to spend some time in Amiens. The Amiens Cathedral is located on the banks of the Somme River in Amiens, Somme, France. It was built in 1220 and is a large cathedral built during the peak period of Gothic architecture.

Amiens has a long history; the real rise was in 1117. After Louis XIV took power, with the efforts of his confidant Minister Colbert, the commerce and handicraft industry prospered day by day. Amiens' cultural and artistic undertakings were also very developed several centuries ago.

The magnificent Amiens Cathedral is the largest Gothic Catholic church in France. In 1981, the Amiens Cathedral was approved by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a cultural heritage to be included in the "World Heritage List." Here you will find out more details about its history and architectural features.

Amiens Cathedral Size And Structure

The famous Amiens Cathedral was built in 1220. The project has not been interrupted, and the advanced construction technology of nearly a century has been absorbed. The entire building complex consists of three halls, a wide cross hall, and a circular apse with seven chapels. It is one of the largest Gothic churches since the 13th century. The sculpture group in the cathedral - "Amiens Bible," is famous all over the world, all of which are religious themes: such as "Last Judgment," "Life of the Virgin Mary", "Golden Virgin Mary," etc., which are still well preserved. The walls are decorated with portraits of Christian prophets, believers, and French kings.

There are 12-meter-high stained glass windows all over the church, using flower-colored window lattices, creating a new stage of emphasis on lighting in architecture. It is also a model of stained glass windows in Gothic cathedrals. The façade is decorated with a huge flame-patterned glass round rose window with a diameter of 13 meters. Above the entrance gate are two layers of arches stacked on top of each other. The towers on both sides are 64 meters and 62 meters high, respectively.

Amiens Cathedral Dimensions

The appearance of Amiens Cathedral is a pointed Gothic structure. The church is divided into three floors, and the huge arches occupy most of the space. The Amiens Cathedral has a total floor area of 7,760 square meters. In the Middle Ages, it could accommodate the people of the whole city, which was more than enough. It has an exterior length of 145 meters from east to west and an interior length of 133.5 meters. The soaring nave reaches an elevation of 42.3 meters at the apex of the vault; it is only 14.6 meters wide, and its entire plane is in the shape of a Latin cross.

Conclusion

Amiens Cathedral is the largest church in France and one of the most beautiful churches in France. From the inside to the outside, there are exquisite sculptures everywhere, as many as 4,000 pieces. These carvings are called the "Bible of Amiens" because these wood carvings and stone carvings vividly reproduce hundreds of stories in the Bible. People are all amazed by the grandeur of this Gothic church and the magnificent momentum of the carvings.