Bianca Rein Marie G.

Gaitan
BSA 2-14D
Narrative Report
Amiens Cathedral
The Amiens Cathedral hich is also called the Cathedral o! Notre-Dame
o! Amiens" Gothic cathedral located in the cit# o! Amiens" $rance" in the
Somme River valle# north o! %aris. &t is the lar'est o! the three 'reat Gothic
cathedrals ()ilt in $rance d)rin' the 1*th cent)r#" and it remains the lar'est
in $rance. &t has an e+terior len'th o! 4,- !eet.2* !eet lon'er than Reims
Cathedral and 4/ !eet lon'er than Chartres Cathedral.ith an interior
len'th o! 4*0 !eet. The soarin' nave reaches an elevation o! 1*/ !eet 142.*
metres2 at the ape+ o! the va)lt" #et it is onl# 40 !eet 114.- metres2 ide.
This *31 ratio" made possi(le (# the sophisticated cantileverin' o!
the Ra#onnant-st#le constr)ction" 'ives the nave a 'reater verticalit# and
ele'ance than other cathedrals o! the period. The li'htness and airiness o!
the interior is increased (# the ---!oot 124-metre2 hei'ht o! the
5an6in' aisles and the open arcades and lar'e indos o! the tri!ori)m and
clerestor#. The cathedral7s ela(oratel# decorated e+terior has its !)llest
e+pression in the do)(le-toered est !acade" hich is dominated (# three
deep-set arched portals and a richl# carved 'aller# (elo the immense rose
indo 1diameter 4* !eet 81* metres92.
Amiens Cathedral as commissioned (# Bishop :vrard de $o)illo# to
replace a smaller ch)rch that had ()rned don in 1210. Constr)ction o! the
nave (e'an in 1224 )nder the direction o! the architect Ro(ert de ;)<arches.
The nave and estern !acade ere completed (# 12*-" and most o! the
main constr)ction as =nished a(o)t 12,4. Man# later additions too6 place"
incl)din' the installation o! the 'rand or'an in 1>4/ and the erection o! a
*-,-!oot 1112-metre2 spire d)rin' the same cent)r#? e+tensive restoration
or6 as )nderta6en (# the $rench architect :)'@ne-:mman)el Aiollet-le-
D)c in the 1/th cent)r#.
The cathedral at Amiens as the site o! several noteorth# events"
incl)din' the marria'e o! Charles A& to &sa(ella o! Bavaria in 1*0>. Despite
heav# ='htin' aro)nd Amiens d)rin' Borld Bars & and &&" the cathedral
escaped serio)s dama'e. &t as desi'nated a CN:SCD Borld Eerita'e site in
1/01.
Bianca Rein Marie G. Gaitan
BSA 2-14D
Reaction %aper
Amiens Cathedral
The =rst time & sa a pict)re o! the Amiens Cathedral" & 'ot so ama<ed
(eca)se o! its sophisticated desi'n. & ondered ho 'reat those people ho
made that cathedral. &t as so (ea)ti!)l in m# e#es" 6noin' that ever#
detail o! it as 'iven so m)ch eFort and perseverance. & also tho)'ht o!
some m#steries that ma# (e hidden in that masterpiece.
As & atched the video o! the Amiens Cathedral proGect" it said that the
said cathedral reveals itsel! thro)'h constant trans!ormation. &t as
constr)cted in m)ltiple campai'ns" victim o! m)ltiple str)ct)ral disasters"
and remains )n=nished )ntil toda#. Thro)'h the proGect" & learned a little
a(o)t the histor# o! the cathedral. &t as ()ilt in 11>2 ith the RomanesH)e
st#le and ()rnt in 1210 (# li'htnin's. The reconstr)ction as started in
a(o)t 1224 and the nave as completed in a(o)t 124>.The choir as
started to reconstr)ct in a(o)t 12*0 and completed (e!ore 12-/ and the
most o! part incl)din' transept as completed in 1200. The so)th toer as
constr)cted in a(o)t 1*--" and the north toer as done in a(o)t 1441.
The proGect shoed the details o! ho the cathedral as ()ilt and ho
the cathedral arrived at its present ima'e. & as intri')ed (# the la(#rinth
that as located at the center o! the str)ct)re. & ondered hat that thin'
means or does it ant to conve# an# messa'e or hatI
Act)all#" & onl# 6no a ver# little a(o)t this 6ind o! art. & don7t 6no
h# those ()ttresses sho)ld (e placed or h# sho)ld the hole cathedral (e
so complicated in terms o! its desi'n. There7s onl# one thin' & 6no that !or
s)re" an#one o)ld 'reatl# appreciate this 'reat or6 o! art.