TEAM 7

Amiens Cathedral
Amiens Cathedral is the largest gothic structure in France. This enormous
building has a surface area of 7,700 m2 and can shelter 10,000 people within its
walls, or the population of Amiens during the Middle Ages. A veritable feat of
architecture, Amiens cathedral is one of the largest in Europe and was listed as a
World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1981.

I. Exterior of Amiens Cathedral

1. The Western Façade

1. Portals 2.Saint Firmin 3.Portal Portal of the Virgin

4.Triforium formed by a series of twin arcades 5.Gallery of Kings
6.Rose Window (redesigned in the 16th C in Flamboyant Gothic style). “Galerie des
Sonneurs” added by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th C. 7.South Tower 8.North Tower

Unlike the one of Chartres, the great façade of Amiens Cathedral appears particularly
much decorated. It is also “in harmony”, meaning it includes three portals, three
elevation levels and two towers. The elevation levels are: The portals, the Gallery of
Kings surmounting a triforium formed by a series of twin arcades, and the rose
window (redesigned in the 16th century in Flamboyant Gothic style). Then at the top
are the two towers which the architect Viollet-le-Duc linked together with the “Gallery of
Bell Ringers” in the 19th century. This curtain-wall, covering the area between the two
towers, is surmounted by a second gallery containing exquisite ornamental archways.
The façade is vertically divided by four very strong buttresses which separate and
securely frame the three portals. Their presence ensures the stability of both the façade
and the two towers that it supports. Each of the three portals is surmounted by a
triangular gable, with its centre decorated with clovers. You can notice on the right like
on the left two remarkable gargoyles positioned at the base of these gables. The great
gable of the central portal is surmounted by an angel statue sounding the trumpet,
which was placed by Viollet-le-Duc to replace a statue of Saint Michael slaying a
dragon. Behind these galleries is situated a terrace named “Room of Musicians”
containing beautiful statues known as “Musician Kings”.

2. Portals of the Western Façade

Like the one of the south transept, the portals of the western
façade are lavishly decorated of sculptures, which display
quite a theological program. The portals have been cleaned

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during the 1990s with a procedure using laser. This technique has helped discover and
preserve traces of polychromy. Studies have shown that this polychromy had an
unsuspected range in very vibrant shades (red, blue, green…). Since then, a free sound
and lighting show has been held at the end of the year and in summertime on the parvis
of Amiens Cathedral, revealing what the coloured façade of the cathedral looked like in
the Middle Ages.

3. Central Portal
The great central portal or Portal of the Last Judgement is surrounded by two other
smaller portals: the Mother-God portal (right, south) and the Saint Firmin portal (left,
north). The tympanum above the great portal is decorated with a depiction of the Last
Judgement, subdivided in three tiers: the lower tier, the intermediate tier and the upper
tier.

4. The Saint Firmin Portal (left, north portal) and the Picardy
Calendar
The north portal is dedicated to Saint Firmin who is shown
on the trumeau. The tympanum of the portal conveys the
story of how his body was found. There are six large statues
on each side of the portal; most of them are saints whose
relics have been displayed every year above the high-altar.
The bases of the Saint Firmin portal are lavishly decorated
and contain the famous “Picardy Calendar” or “Amiens
Zodiac”. It is an ensemble of beautiful sculptures, eight
centuries old and remarkably well preserved. A series of
medallions sculpted in a quatrefoil shape show the agrarian
calendar which establishes a link between the zodiac and
the work for the month. The depicted characters work in the
country fields and wear different clothes according to seasons.

5. Portal of the Virgin (right, south portal).

Also known as the Portal of the Mother of
God, this portal is dedicated to the Virgin
Mary. On the trumeau, the Virgin is
depicted crushing Evil, which is personified
by a mythic animal with a human face. The
static stance of the Virgin is a trend on
statues inspired by the Chartres model
(from Chartres Cathedral). The base of the
trumeau comprises of bas relief carvings of
the original sin. The association of this theme and the Virgin is particularly found on
the trumeau of the Portal of the Virgin of Notre-Dame de Paris. On the tympanum,

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 the lower tier depicts a series of six characters from the Old Testament. The middle
tier shows the Death and the Assumption of the Virgin. The top tier depicts the
Crowning of the Virgin in heaven. The statues that decorate the splays of side piers
are particularly remarkable:
 To the right, the statues grouped in pairs represent three important events in the
life of Virgin Mary: the Annunciation, the Visitation and the Presentation of Jesus
at the Temple.
 To the left, from the exterior to the interior are Queen Sheba, King Solomon, King
Herod the Great and the three Wise Men.
The medallions at the bases represent scenes of the life of Christ but also of the kings
at the left of the portal: Solomon (and Queen Sheba), Herod (and the three Wise Men).

6. The Lower Gallery and the Gallery of Kings

On top of the three portals is the lower gallery dating from 1235, which is lavishly
decorated with archways and small columns. This gallery is lined with large openings
which lit the central nave of the cathedral before the great organ was installed. The
lower gallery itself is surmounted by the Gallery of Kings, which is located at 30 metres
above the parvis. There are 22 statues in the Gallery of Kings and it is not certain whom
these statues depict. They date back to the first half of the 13th century. The central part
of the façade has eight statues 3.75 metres high. Six other statues are placed on the
western side at the base of each of the arcades, while two are in the front of the central
buttresses of the façade. These statues appear relatively badly proportioned with their
short limbs in comparison to their big head. There are
galleries reminiscent of Notre-Dame de Reims and
Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedrals (the statues of which
were made in the 19th century). The Gallery of Kings
supports an open and paved terrace. The heads of the
long gargoyles that decorate the top of the Gallery of
Kings drain outwardly water from the pavement.

7. The West Rose Window

The rose window is situated just above the central part
of the Gallery of Kings and its paved terrace. This
Flamboyant Gothic style rose window dates from the
16th century and was ordered by the mayor of Amiens. It
is also known as the “The Rose of the Sea”. The rose
window cannot be seen in its entirety from the outside
as the ledge of the terrace balustrade covers the lower
part.

8. The Towers

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The towers of Amiens Cathedral lack size and
rather resemble to parts of a tower. Unlike those
of the Rouen and Chartres façades, the small
size of the towers at Amiens Cathedral does not
contribute to the upward thrust of the building. It
is the spire of the transept, more than 100
metres high and visible from afar, which fulfils
this role instead. The reason lies in the history
of the cathedral construction: the towers were
the last parts of the structure to be built and had
a lack of financial means for their elevation. The
upper parts of the towers date from the 14th and
15th centuries and are not of equal height
(height of the north tower: 68.19m for the north
tower and 61.70m for the south tower). The top
of the south tower is of a Rayonnant Gothic
style while the north tower is of a Flamboyant
Gothic style. The two towers are flanked by a
little quadrangular turret at the side buttresses, each containing a spiral staircase. It is
possible to climb the towers at Amiens Cathedral. When you reach the top, you will
have an unobstructed view on the monument, particularly on the gargoyles and
chimeras, and the city of Amiens.

9. The Statuary of Amiens Cathedral

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 The high parts of Amiens Cathedral
have plentiful amounts of medieval
sculptural works that are often over-
the-top or frightening, such as
gargoyles, chimeras and Musician
Kings.
There are countless gargoyles at the
top parts of the cathedral. Often they
are very high and are real pieces of
statuary. It is important not to
confuse gargoyles and chimeras.
Gargoyles were placed at the end of
the gutters to drain rainwater from the roof. They go over the edge to drain the water as
far as possible from the cathedral walls, so that the walls do not get damaged. With
opened mouths, gargoyles often take the form of mythical animals that are frightening
and fierce. Designed by many artists who were given artistic freedom, these creatures
are all different and have a variety that is close to infinite. Chimeras, in contrast to
gargoyles, do not have a purely decorative function. They are simply mythical, diabolical
and often grotesque statues. They often have closed mouths and are perched on
mounts that elevate them. They are found in the heights of the cathedral, on
balustrades or at the top of buttresses where they replace pinnacles. The chimeras
have duty to watch over the city, like the famous mythical animals of Notre-Dame de
Paris, added by Viollet-le-Duc.
Unlike chimeras, the statues of the Musician Kings represent very pleasant characters.
The Musician Kings are dispersed over all the roofs of the cathedral. A large number of
them are found just behind the towers of the western façade, around the terrace of the
“Chamber of Musicians”. This terrace is situated on the roof between the Gallery of Bell
Ringers and the western end of the attic of the nave. Another series of Musician Kings
that are much easier to admire are at the top of the buttresses of the axial chapel, at the
chevet of the cathedral just behind the choir.

10. The South Façade of the Transept and the Portal of Saint-
Honoratus
The south façade of the transept rises towards the sky
at a height of almost 60 metres, surrounded by two
strong side buttresses. There are
three floors: the portal of Saint-
Honoratus, the huge stained
glass window and at the top, the
pediment. The portal of the south
transept arm, or portal of Saint-
Honoratus, is also known as the
portal of the Golden Virgin, due

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to the statue that adorns its trumeau. 2.30 m tall, the statue is actually an identical
casting of the original one. The real Golden Virgin that dates from 1288 was moved
inside the cathedral in 1980 to protect it from bad weather and pollution. The tympanum
recounts various events in the life of Saint-Honoratus, the eighth bishop of Amiens, who
lived in the 6th century.

11. The North Façade of the Transept and the St Firmin the
Confessor Portal
The façade of the north transept arm is much less decorated than the façade of the
south arm; in fact, there are no statues or sculptures apart from the statue of St. Firmin
on the trumeau. The St. Firmin the Confessor portal is dedicated to Firmin II, the third
bishop of Amiens, who sat in the second half of the 4th century.

12. The Chevet

You will be surprised by the extremely elegant chevet of Amiens
Cathedral and its strong structure. It has three floors of windows
and a series of buttresses and flying buttresses. Everything is
lavishly decorated with gables, statues, gargoyles and pinnacles.
This ensemble gives the impression of a powerful thrust towards
the sky.

Interior of Amiens Cathedral

13. The Nave

The nave of Amiens Cathedral, built in a very short time (1220-
1236), was the first part of the building to
be constructed. The elevation of the nave
(like the choir) has three levels: large
archways, the triforium and high windows.
It is lit by the great rose window of the

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façade, named the “The Rose of the Sea” and the high windows. The nave covers an
area of seven bays and is lined on each side with an aisle containing square vaults. Its
height under the vault is 42.3 metres, the second in France behind Beauvais Cathedral
(48m), but ahead of Metz Cathedral (41.77m) and Chartres Cathedral (37m). As to the
columns along the nave, they are 13.85 metres high. Amiens Cathedral is 145 metres
long in total (the longest in France) and the nave is 54m long.

14. The Labyrinth

Unlike Reims Cathedral, Amiens has preserved its labyrinth. A work from the 12th
century, it is an octagonal geometric shape engraved across the whole width of the
main nave’s pavement, at the fifth bay. The labyrinth appeared to be a symbolic road
where man meets God. The centre of this great design would therefore symbolise
heavenly Jerusalem or the hereafter. Its path measures 234 metres. The pilgrims who
came to venerate the relics of John the Baptist that were brought back in 1206, had the
tradition of walking along it on their knees by following the black line. The central stone
of the labyrinth contains an inscription on a copper strip and summarises the
groundwork of the cathedral. The stone is actually a copy; the original dating from 1288
is located at the Museum of Picardy. The paving of the nave has a series of designs
restored in the 19th century. They include, among others, the swastika pattern.

15. The Transept

The transept of the cathedral is sumptuously decorated. The
two arms of the transept each have three bays and two side
aisles, one to the west and the other to the east. The
elevation of the transept has three levels, like the nave and
the choir: large archways overlooking the side aisles, a
transparent triforium and high windows. Each transept arm is
lit by a large stained glass window with a rose window. The
rose window of the south transept arm, called “Rose of
Heaven”, is of a Flamboyant Gothic style, while the one of the
north transept arm or “Compass Rose” is of a Rayonnant
Gothic style.

16. The relics of John the Baptist

In the north transept arm, you can notice a 12th century basin that was used to wash
deceased people and a relic consisting of a small “splinter” of cranial bone, which
apparently belonged to John the Baptist, presented in a wooden chest with glass. As for
the skull (the only thing remaining from the destruction caused by the French
Revolution), it is kept in the “treasure” near the sacristy. Also considered as being John
the Baptist’s skull, it was brought back in 1206 during the Fourth Crusade by a canon of
Picquigny, Wallon de Sarton.

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 17. The Choir and the Ambulatory
The choir of Notre-Dame d’Amiens is surrounded by a wrought iron
gate and includes four bays, as well as a seven-sided apse. The
latter is enclosed by a simple ambulatory in which are seven
Rayonnant chapels. Like the one of the nave, its elevation has three
levels: large archways, the triforium and high windows. In the axis of
the choir, you can see in the central high window a large colourful
stained glass window that was offered to the cathedral in 1269. It is
the most beautiful and important stained glass window of the
cathedral. Its theme is the Angels announcing the coronation of St.
Louis. The choir is surrounded by apse chapels which have superb sculptures from
different periods (from the Middle Ages to Louis XVI …).
To the left of the choir is the cathedra of the cathedral, lavishly decorated and of
Baroque style. The ambulatory is bordered with apsidal chapels with high ceilings.

18. The stalls

The incredible choir stalls of Amiens cathedral represent
the biggest masterpiece of cabinet work (with those of
Toledo Cathedral). These stalls of Flamboyant Gothic
style were built with blond oak over 11 years, from 1508
to 1519. They consist of more than 4,000 characters
originally spread over 120 stalls (110 today with 62 high
and 48 low stalls). The two major stalls, which were
unique because they were surmounted by a huge
13.50m wooden lace, were reserved for the king and the
dean of the chapter. On the stall reserved to the king sat
Louis XII, Francis I, Henri IV, then Napoleon I and
French President Charles de Gaulle.

Nhà thờ chánh tòa Amiens là kiến trúc gothic lớn nhất ở nước Pháp. Công trình khổng lồ này có diện tích
sàn là 7.700 m2 và có sức chứa 10.000 người bên trong những bức tường của công trình, hoặc chính
bằng dân số của thành phố Amiens trong suốt thời kỳ Trung Cổ. Một kiến trúc thực sự kỳ công, nhà thờ
Amiens là một trong những nhà thờ lớn nhất ở Châu Âu và được UNESCO công nhận là di sản thế giới
vào năm 1981.

I. Ngoại thất nhà thờ Amiens:

1. Mặt tiền phía tây

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Không giống như nhà thờ Chartres, mặt tiền lớn của nhà thờ Amiens có hình thức đặc biệt nhiều trang
trí. Nó cũng được gọi là “mang tính hài hòa”, có nghĩa là nó bao gồm 3 cổng, ba mức độ phân tầng cao và
hai tháp. Các mức độ phân tầng gồm có: các cổng chính, Nơi trưng bày Các vị vua nằm trên đỉnh của
một bao lơn được tạo ra bởi một chuỗi những vòm đôi, và cửa sổ hoa hồng (được thiết kế lại vào thế kỷ
thứ 16 theo phong cách gothic “rực rỡ”). Tiếp theo, ở cao nhất chính là hai tòa tháp được kiến trúc sư
Viollet-le-Duc kết nối với nhau bằng “Bộ sưu tập chuông rung” vào thế kỷ thứ 19. Bức tường-rèm này,
che phủ khu vực giữa hai tòa tháp, được chồng lên bộ sưu tập thứ hai gồm những cổng tò vò được trang
trí tinh tế. Mặt tiền được chia theo phương vị đứng bởi bốn cột bên ngoài vô cùng chắc khỏe, chúng tách
biệt và bảo đảm “đóng khung” ba cổng chính. Sự có mặt của những cây cột này bảo đảm cho sự ổn định
của cả mặt tiền và hai tòa tháp mà nó hỗ trợ. Mỗi cổng chính được che phủ bởi một đầu hồi hình tam
giác, với điểm chính giữa của nó được trang trí bằng hình ảnh cỏ ba lá. Bạn có thể nhận thấy bên phải
cũng như bên trái của những đầu hồi này đều được đặt hai máng xối hình đầu thú gây chú ý. Đầu hồi lớn
nhất của cổng chính giữa được đặt lên đỉnh một bức tượng thiên thần thổi kèn trompet, bức tượng này
được Viollet-le-Duc đặt lên để thay thế cho tượng Thánh Michael đang giết một con rồng. Đằng sau
những bộ sưu tập này là một sân thượng có tên “Phòng của những nhà soạn nhạc”, chứa những bức
tượng tuyệt đẹp có tên gọi “Những vị vua soạn nhạc”.(???)

2. Các cổng ở mặt tiền phía tây

Giống như cổng của gian bên phía nam, các cổng ở mặt tiền phía tây được trang trí lộng lẫy bằng các tác
phẩm điêu khắc, cho thấy khá rõ một chương trình thần học. Các cổng này đã được làm sạch trong
những năm 90 bằng công nghệ laser. Kỹ thuật này đã giúp người ta khám phá và bảo tồn dấu vết của kỹ
thuật vẽ nhiều màu sắc. Các nghiên cứu đã chỉ ra rằng kỹ thuật này chắc chắn có đủ các loại màu sắc cực
kỳ sôi nổi (đỏ, xanh da trời, xanh lá cây, …). Kể từ đó, một chương trình hòa âm ánh sáng miễn phí đã
được tổ chức vào dịp cuối năm và trong mùa hè ở sân trước nhà thờ Amiens, tiết lộ mặt tiền của nhà
thờ đã từng nhiều màu sắc như thế nào vào thời kỳ Trung Cổ.

3. Cổng chính trung tâm

Cổng chính lớn nhất ở trung tâm hay Cổng của Sự phán xét cuối cùng được bao quanh bởi hai cổng nhỏ
khác: cổng Mẹ-Thiên Chúa (phải, phía nam) và cổng Thánh Firmin (trái, phía bắc). Trán tường phía trên
cổng lớn được trang trí với sự thuật lại Sự phán xét cuối cùng, chia thành 3 cấp độ: cấp thấp, cấp giữa và
cấp cao.