Gothic Architectural Amiens Cathedral
Amazing Europe | Ricky | April 22, 2010 at 12:05 amIn France, you will find many museum and landmarks, to name few, Eiffel Tower, The Louvre Museum, and the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral, and many more. But if you are tired of staying surrounded by crowd and just want to be some place quite. Then take a ride of hundred kilometers to the north direction of Paris. You will be amazed at the structure and architecture of this building. It is the Amiens Cathedral, originally known as Notre-Dame d’Amiens. It is the tallest cathedral in whole France. Amiens cathedral is very old structure, which took many years to complete. The work of the cathedral started in year 1220 and it got finished in 1288. In 1981, the cathedral name was listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The main attraction of the Cathedral is the controversial head of John the Baptist. But whatever truth be, it has been attracting many tourists from all over the world and the historians. In thirteenth century, the head had brought many pilgrims at the cathedral. As the head of the Baptist appealed many pilgrims and tourists, it became the source of revenue for the cathedral.
The cathedral is very huge from inside and think only the head of the Baptists the attraction, but the art lover can come here and appreciated the beautiful and magnificent work of the stained glass. It is very impressive! Unfortunately, 
during World War I, much of the stained glass was destroyed. Later, to preserve and protect these magnificent works of thirteenth century, they were removed and stored until the World Wars got over. But during day light as the sunlight passes through glass, the cathedral looks stunning and the figures mage on it comes to alive!
The name of the cathedral was enlisted in UNESCO World Heritage site is not because it’s old and has stained glass, but the cathedral has many beautiful 
sculptures, which look like are still alive. There are many sculptures like weeping angel, Handsome God, the Sinners Enter the Jaws of Hell on the Last Judgment and the Sculpture of St. James the Greater, are just few to name. But the sight of these sculptures is very impressive!
You can still see the glimpse of the Gothic Architecture that flourished during medieval period. In 2000 restoration, traces of original paint were found. You should visit the cathedral at night, any night in summer and December, outside the cathedral laser show are held which are mind-blowing and rare to see anywhere else. The laser show is an effort to show the visitor, how the cathedral looked when it was initially built. It’s not only tourist attraction, but it’s also an active Catholic Church. If you wish to hear mass, on every Sundays at ten fifteen in the morning mass is carried on, followed by Gregorian chanting.
You can visit her any time of the day and there are no admission fees!
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Both sides of the cathedral are lined with sequences illustrating the lives of the two saints- John the Baptist and St Firmin, the first bishop of Amiens.
The artists took care to create a parallelism in the telling of the stories: both saints, decapitated for offending the rich and powerful, suffer neglect and loss, until a later generation discovers their relics and houses them fittingly.