From the square in front of the Amiens cathedral, you can barely grasp the whole size of this majestic building. The cathedral’s west façade is very beautiful, with two bell towers with small spires on the corners. The large central gate and two smaller gates on the sides are covered with rows of statues of saints and large angels welcoming you. Above, more rows of saints carry the wonderful rose window. You may want to study the saints at the entrance: a couple carry their heads in their hands, and some have scrolls.

Inside the cathedral is true 13th-century Gothic, with very tall naves and baroque chapels. Not many of original stained-glass windows are left. What is left is beautiful stained glass and architecture of rose windows of south and north transepts. Also, there are examples of flamboyant Gothic lace here, in the transepts and along the choir on the outside. Wooden sculpture scenes of the life of St John the Baptist (16th-century) decorate the altar, with a large baroque scene with clouds and angels. The choir has beautiful Gothic stalls surrounded by metal ironwork fences with lots of gilding.

The most beautiful carvings are behind the altar, with Renaissance paintings of floral motifs in gold/red/green on the walls and some of the original stained glass, especially in the chapel of St Sacrament. In some chapels, modern glass replaced the old. Stalls of the choir tell the story in 4,000 characters of the life of Virgin and Old Testament (1508-1519). On the other side of the altar, polychrome statues tell the story of St Firmin the Martyr (who was the first bishop of Amiens); the column near south entrance has a beautiful statue of a golden Madonna. The altar is baroque and absolutely doesn’t fit with the beauty of the Gothic choir stalls. Underneath the west rose window, you can see a beautiful organ which seems to be a mixture of neo-Gothic and rococo. The best part of the West façade are the gargoyles, full-blown monsters staring at you, and in the middle, an angel blowing the horn.

This cathedral is an example of true Gothic, with its wonderful proportions and organic design – here in the Gothic part, nothing seems to be out of place. There is a reason and place for every detail, and you can see this cathedral’s features repeated in the best Gothic cathedrals of France and Spain.