Amiens Cathedral

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens (French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens; Picard: Cathédrale Noter-Danme d'Anmiens), or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral. The cathedral 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 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Paris.

The cathedral was built almost entirely between 1220 and c. 1270, a remarkably short period of time for a Gothic cathedral, giving it an unusual unity of style. Amiens is an early example of the High Gothic period, and the Rayonnant style of Gothic architecture. The Rayonnant appeared in the triforium and clerestory, which were begun in 1236, and 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 by volume in France, 200,000 cubic metres (260,000 cu yd), more than double the volume of Notre Dame of Paris. The cathedral has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.