UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Amiens, Hauts-de-France

This article first appeared in My Travelogue by Bhushavali 

AMIENS - EASY DAY TRIP FROM PARIS BY TRAIN


The primary reason why I wanted to visit Amiens was to see Amiens Cathedral - Notre Dame Cathedral of Amiens, which is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in France. Located halfway between Lille & Paris, and well connected by train from both cities, I honestly don't know why I took so long to visit Amiens! Not only Notre Dame Cathedral of Amiens, but also Amiens Belfry is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a bunch of other things to do in Amiens, I planned my 3-day trip to Amiens from Brussels, by train.

AMIENS CATHEDRAL - NOTRE DAME D'AMIENS CATHEDRALE 

Amiens Cathedral was one of the largest Gothic churches in the 13th C CE and an excellent example of high Gothic architecture. Amiens Cathedral is still the largest Cathedral in France at 200,000 m3 which is more than twice of Notre Dame Paris! It also has the highest nave at 42.3m! 

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France


Notre Dame d'Amiens | Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Façade of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France
Façade of Amiens Cathedral - Now & in the daytime

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France | Chroma Light Show
Façade of Amiens Cathedral - Lit up at night to depict how it would have looked in the 13th C CE

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Amiens Cathedral sculptures | UNESCO World heritage sites in France
Façade of Amiens Cathedral - Now & in the daytime

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France | Chroma Light Show
Façade of Amiens Cathedral - Lit up at night to depict how it would have looked in the 13th C CE

Stained Glass Windows of Amiens Cathedral | Notre Dame d'Amiens Cathedrale | UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hauts-de-France

History of Amiens Cathedral: Amiens Cathedral was built in 1220-1270 CE, which is a very concise period of time to achieve the feat. An early church is said to have stood here in the 6th C CE. However the earlier constructions were destroyed by fire and the current construction belongs to the 13th C CE. Luckily the Cathedral survived WWI and WWII when bombs fell a few hundred meters away from the Cathedral!

Sculptures on Amiens Cathedral exteriors: Even before you enter Amiens Cathedral, the detailed sculptures on the facade are quiet a lot. Apart from Jesus, Mary, Apostles, and, saints, there's also a series of sun signs, a depiction of heaven & hell as well as good & bad deeds, all belonging to the 13th C. One fascinating thing about it is that all these sculptures were painted! A few decades ago, when they began to clean these sculptures, to remove dust and soot, they discovered traces of paint! Here's the icing on the cake - you don't have to imagine how the facade would have looked like when it was covered with colors, you can see it! Every night during summer & December, after the stunning Video Mapping show (more details below), there's a light show that illuminates the Cathedral's west facade to show how it would have been in the 13th C CE with the colors of the sculptures on the facade intact! It was quite amazing to get a sneak peek into the past!

Amiens Cathedral Labyrinth (Maze): Just like Chartres Cathedral and Notre Dame Reims, there's a maze in Amiens Cathedral too. The maze here is 234m long and belongs to the 13th C CE. The central plaque shows the 4 gospels and the archangels of the 4 directions. However, thanks to wear & tear, what we see today is a replica and the original central plaque is on display in the city, at Picardy Museum!
Stained Glass Windows of Amiens Cathedral: Unfortunately, hardly any original stained glass windows still exist. They were destroyed during invasions, hurricanes, fires, etc. During WWI, the surviving windows were removed and stored for safekeeping in a studio which unfortunately caught fire, destroying the windows. Today very few of the windows belong to the 13th C CE including the rosette window on the west facade, some windows of the central apse chapel, and the chapel of Saint Francis of Assisi, etc. Most of the windows we see today belong to the 19th C. 

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Frescoes of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Frescoes of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Frescoes of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Sculptures of Choir Screen of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Sculptures of Choir Screen of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Sculptures of Choir Screen of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France

Amiens Blue: Just like Chartres Blue, Amiens too had its own blue! Unlike Chartres Blue which was a mineral (cobalt) dye, Amiens blue is a plant dye, from the Woad plant (a cousin of mustard)! Woad grew well along the river Somme and the wealth of Amiens was primarily from the water! Amiens was then considered the fashion town because people here wore 'blue dyed clothes' since 12th C CE, when the rest of Europe was wearing undyed clothes! Much later, by 18th C CE, thanks to colonization and the introduction of Indigo from India, the usage of Woad eventually faded away. 

Amiens Cathedral Frescoes: The Chapel St.Eloi inside Amiens Cathedral has 8 frescoes on its wall, painted in the early 16th C CE. Also, in the lower part of the Choir Screens, which have some tombstones, there are frescoes all around them. They are quite interesting and look like curtains (reminding me much of the Sistine chapel)! 

Choir Screen of Amiens Cathedral: The 15th C choir screen (with renovations of 19th C CE) is where the most detailed sculptures of Amiens Cathedral are located. The sculptures about the life of Saint Fermin belong to the early 15th C CE and the sculptures about John the Baptist belong to the late 15th C CE. The detailing here is incredible and the depth of the scenery as well as the facial features & expressions are impeccable. There are some wooden sculptures of 16th C CE inside the Choir stalls which are unfortunately accessible to the public only on very few, certain days.

The sculpture of the Weeping Angel: Quite unusually, the photograph of the Weeping Angel has reached many nooks & corners of the world! Why?! During WWI, this was where the Somme offensive (Battle of Somme) happened. Many soldiers who were here, sent a photo of this image as a postcard back to their families. This was sculpted by Nicholas Blasset in 1628 CE.

Spire & Towers of Amiens Cathedral: Towering over the Western facade are the imposing towers are Amiens Cathedral that lends to the picturesque cityscape of Amiens. The spire is atop the cross-section between the nave & transcripts. Today it is possible to go on a guided to visit the terrace & towers of Amiens Cathedral from where not only you get to see a fantastic view of the city but also a close-up of the spire as well. Not just that, but also it is possible to look at the flying buttresses up & close. They reminded me much of Chartres Cathedral!


Chroma Monumental Experience Light Show at Amiens Cathedral: As it got darker, we reached Amiens Cathedral at 7:00PM and there was quite a crowd here already, waiting for the incredible Chroma Videomapping show. The show was absolutely phenomenal. With the mighty facade of the Cathedral, there was a lot of space for the artists at Spectre Lab to work with and they delivered a masterpiece.
As I mentioned above, after the Video Mapping, there's a very unique light show that showcases how the Cathedral's west facade with its colors of 13th C CE!
The Chroma Monumental Experience Light Show happens only in summer (mid-July to end-Sept) and Christmas time, so plan your trip to Amiens accordingly. Chroma Light Show over the façade of Amiens cathedral starts at 7PM during December because it gets dark much earlier and only by around 10:00, or 10:30PM during the summer months. If you're planning an overnight in Amiens both summer and winter are good. However, if you're planning a day trip to Amiens choose December because the Chroma Monumental Experience light show is much earlier and you can return to Paris/Lille later the same night.

Where is Amiens Cathedral(on Google Maps)Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens
How to reach Amiens Cathedral? 800m (10 mins walk) from Amiens Railway Station
Amiens Cathedral Timings: 8:30AM to 5:15PM
Amiens Cathedral Tickets: Free

When does Chroma Light show happen? (Update 2023) Every night from mid-July till end-Sept (10:30PM to 11:20PM in July; 10:00PM to 10:50PM in August and 9:45PM to 10:34PM in September) as well as the whole of December (starting at 7:00PM). 

Amiens Cathedral Timings for Towers: Apr-Sept: Wed to Mon: 2PM, 2:45PM, 3:30PM, 4:15PM; Oct-Mar: 2PM, 3PM
Amiens Cathedral Tickets for Towers: €6
Amiens Cathedral Timings for Towers: Apr-Sept: Mon, Wed-Sat: 11AM & 2PM. Sun: only 2PM; Oct-Mar: 11AM
Amiens Cathedral Tickets for Towers: €4
Amiens Cathedral Combined Ticket for Treasury & Towers: €8
Amiens Cathedral Contact number to book Treasury & Towers tickets: +33.3.22.92.03.32

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Labyrinth (Maze) of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Labyrinth (Maze) of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France
The original central plaque of the Amiens Cathedral Labyrinth (Maze) is now in Picardy Museum

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Sculptures on the façade of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France
Traces of paint can still be seen on the facade

Chroma Light show at Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage Sites in Hauts-de-France
Chroma Light Show at Notre Dame Cathedral, Amiens

Chroma Light show at Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage Sites in Hauts-de-France
Chroma Light Show at Notre Dame Cathedral, Amiens

The Weeping Angel sculpture at Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage Sites in Hauts-de-France
The weeping angel sculpture in Amiens Cathedral

AMIENS BELFRY - BEFFROI D'AMIENS 

I had already mentioned in my articles on Leuven, Tournai, Mons, Ypres, etc., that  56 Belfries in France and Belgium have been listed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Belfries of France and Belgium. The Amiens Belfry is one of the 56 Belfries listed under UNESCO. Amiens Belfry is in fact the southernmost Belfry of them all!

Amiens Belfry History: The foundation of Amiens Belfry dates back to the 12th C CE but became a functional belfry by the 15th C CE. The height of Amiens Belfry is 52m. The belfry was destroyed by fire and renovated time & again. The current architecture belongs to the 18th C CE and it was then a huge bell of 11 tonnes was installed. Unfortunately, it fell down and broke! To date, the broken pieces of the bell are in the belfry on display. It was used for various purposes over time including prison. In fact, there were 3 types of rooms for the prisoners here - mild convicts or political prisoners to serious convicts. The 'elite' room even had a window view of the Amiens Cathedral. The historic glass of the windows is still in place, which gives a blurry view. Obviously, being a prison means, the place is filled with engravings done by the inmates. It was again restored in 1988. 

Today it is open only on specific days for the general public only on certain days, a few times every month. You may want to check the dates and then plan your Amiens trip.

Where is Amiens Belfry (on Google Maps)Beffroi d'Amiens
How to reach Amiens Belfry? 1.2km (14 mins walk) from Amiens Railway Station. 
Amiens Belfry Timings: Open on very specific dates. Check the ticket links below where you'll also see the dates & timings.
Amiens Belfry Tickets: €2 for a self-guided tour and €4 for a guided tour. You could book your self-guided tour tickets to Amiens Belfry or a guided tour of Amiens Belfry via the official website of Amiens Tourisme. 

Amiens Belfry | Beffroi d'Amiens | UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hauts-de-France

Amiens Belfry | Beffroi d'Amiens | UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hauts-de-France

Amiens Belfry | Beffroi d'Amiens | UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hauts-de-France
Broken pieces of the original bell now on display inside Amiens Belfry

Amiens Belfry | Beffroi d'Amiens | UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hauts-de-France
Engraved graffiti made by prisoners inside Amiens Belfry

Amiens Belfry | Beffroi d'Amiens | UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hauts-de-France
The 'elite' section of the prison (in Amiens Belfry) with the view of the Cathedral

OTHER THINGS TO DO IN AMIENS

Apart from these 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Amiens - Amiens Notre Dame Cathedral and Amiens Belfry, this city is the heart of the Somme region which was an important site during WWI and this is where the Somme Battlefields are. Amiens is the home to the very unique Hortillonages (floating vegetable gardens & markets)! Amiens is where Jules Verne wrote 'Around the world in 80 days'. Of course, Amiens is an easy day trip or weekend trip from Paris, Lille, and Brussels even if you don't have a car! 

All about Amiens: Read my article on the Top 10 things to do in Amiens incl. Picardy Museum, les Hortillonages, Jules Verne walking tour,

AMIENS ITINERARY

Day 1 (Winter) - Jules Verne Walking Tour, Maison Jules Verne, Christmas Market, Santa Village, Chroma Light Show
Day 1 (Summer) - Les Hortillonages Boat tour, Jules Verne Walking Tour, Amiens Zoo (or) Maison Jules Verne
Day 2 (Summer/Winter) - Amiens Cathedral, Belfry, Picardy Museum, walking tour of Le Quai
Day 3 (Summer/Winter) Remembrance Tourism through the Somme battlefields, cemeteries, and war museums.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT AMIENS?
Visit Amiens on 2 trips - once during Christmas time and once in Spring or Summer. During Christmas time, you can see the Chroma Light Show and also experience the rest of the city, esp., the Le Quai area lit with Christmas lights! However since Amiens Zoo and Les Hortillonages are closed in winter, take another trip to Amiens during Spring or Summer to experience everything that Amiens has to offer.
If you're planning an overnight in Amiens, both summer and winter are good. However, if you're planning a day trip to Amiens choose December because the Chroma Monumental Experience light show is much earlier, at 7:00PM in December (when compared to 10:00PM in summer).

HOW TO REACH AMIENS
Amiens has an excellent railway station and a bus station as well. Amiens is well connected by SNCF as well as buses like Flixbus. There are direct trains to Amiens from Lille and Paris.

Notre Dame d'Amiens | Façade of Amiens Cathedral | UNESCO World heritage sites in France

Hotel Moxy Amiens | Best hotels in Amiens
A huge poster of the Cathedral's facade for Atyudarini to color during her stay at Moxy Amiens Hotel

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UNESCO World heritage sites in Amiens, Hauts-de-France, France Pinterest UNESCO World heritage sites in Amiens, Hauts-de-France, France Pinterest

Bhushavali

An ardent traveler by passion. Being an ex - Art History Teacher, my area of interest especially lies in Nature and Heritage. Visited 85 UNESCO World Heritage sites as of June 2022. I've been listed among the Top 7 Women Travel Bloggers of India, Top 50 in UK. I have been interviewed in a couple of TV Shows, Radio Channels and Events as well. Read more about me and read the testimonials of different brands

11 comments:

  1. Hi Bhusha. I hope you are keeping well and safe. Your Daughter is really getting big and growing up fast. I think she will be as beautiful as her mum one day.
    Always enjoy reading about your travels. Take care.

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  2. I love Amiens, I visited as part of my French language exchange, we were paired with a sixth form college in Noyons not far from there so I was able to visit Amiens and explore it with my partner's family. I love reading all the extra detail of history you've shared such as the information about the stained glass and frescoes, and about the local blue dye! Really fascinating!

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  3. We are not religious but we never miss a chance to visit a beautiful church like the Amiens Cathedral. The architecture and art can keep us enthralled for hours. Always amazed to see all the colour in old wall frescos. We would definitely want to take a guided tour of the terrace and towers and get a view from the top. Good to know that Amiens is a good spot to visit at different times of year.

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  4. I love visiting UNESCO sites and I am sure I could spend a few hours visiting the cathedral in Amiens. So interesting to read that the Amiens Blue is a plant dye, not a mineral dye. The 16th century frescoes at the St Elois chapel are in a very good condition, considering their age. Difficult to see, but I assume the are depictions of saints?

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  5. Amiens cathedral is a fantastic UNESCO world heritage sitewith sculpture dating back to 13th century CE and a stunning example of Gothic architecture with detailed descriptions of biblical mythology.And I would definitely love to see the light and sound show bringing back to life the colors of the painted sculptures like in 13 CE.Its good to see how they have still preserved the broken pieces of the Amiens belfry . It's unfortunate that currently very few of the original stained glass windows of Amiens cathedral exist.But it's very exciting to learn that Amiens is where Jules Verne write Around the world in 80 days.

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  6. The facade of the Amiens Cathedral reminds me of the one of the Cathedral in Freiburg, in Germany. That one has similar statue decorations that look so impressive and that have been carved with so many details on them. I'd like to go to Amiens and compare them. They are pretty astonishing, right? I have seen a few Belfries around Europe, but never went inside one. It looks like Amiens is the place to go if you want to explore the interior of a Belfry and see the scribbles on the wall of the prisoners who were locked in there. I didn't know that it was a Unesco site either.

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  7. Amiens seems like a wonderful location to visit. Every aspect of Amiens Cathedral, including its interior decor, decorations, architectural motifs, and sculptures, always leaves me in awe. To see the Amiens Belfry entices me. I can't wait to get here, go through the itinerary, and participate in all the enjoyable things!

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  8. Wow! This is fascinating. The structures are so detailed and I would love to see this personally. Happy to know that they have declared this as a UNESCO heritage site. Thank you for sharing a a bit of history of the Amiens Cathedral. This made me appreciate it more.

    By the way, I had seen a photo of the Weeping Angel and I had no idea it was from here.

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  9. I am very impressed with the Amiens Cathedral after reading your very descriptive information about it. I love that there's a light show to allow you to see what the status looked like when they were painted. What a great idea! Sad that hardly any of the original stained glass has survived, but truly amazing that the cathedral dates back to medieval times!

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  10. I'm going to be visiting France this year and I really want to visit Amiens as the history and culture there just looks amazing and wow that Cathedral, what an incredible place to see first hand. Thanks for sharing

    Laura x

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  11. UNESCO sites never really disappoint. Eye-popping images too. You did an excellent job capturing the essence of this epic cathedral. Good post!

    Ryan

    ReplyDelete

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