Amiens Cathedral

Notre-Dame d'Amiens Cathedral was begun in 1220 on the site of a church that had burned down in 1218; the first master builder was Robert de Luzarches, and the main construction was largely finished by about 1270. It is 145 m long on the outside, and the nave vault rises 42.3 m while the nave is only 14.6 m wide. This makes it longer than Reims and Chartres. The twin-towered west front has three deep portals, with the "Beau Dieu" at the central one. Viollet-le-Duc restored it in the 19th century. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.

The cathedral came through both world wars without serious damage. Allow at least an hour for the façade and the interior. Lonely Planet points out the octagonal, 234 m labyrinth set into the black-and-white nave floor, which is easy to miss, and the 17th-century “Crying Angel” behind the high altar. In the south transept, plaques commemorate soldiers who died in the First World War. The north tower can be climbed via 307 steps. In summer and around Christmas there is a free evening light show on the façade (as of October 2026: check times in advance). The cathedral is closed to visitors during services.