The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady (French: Notre-Dame) is the largest church in the French city of Amiens, capital of the former region of Picardy. It is the largest Gothic cathedral in France and, with those of Chartres, Reims and Bourges, is among the purest examples of Gothic architecture. On December 12, 1854, it was elevated to basilica status by Pope Pius IX. Since 1981, the cathedral has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Construction began in 1220 after an older cathedral was destroyed by fire. Construction was begun with the nave and not, as is customary, with the choir. The nave was completed in 1247. It has a height of almost 43 meters. In 1269, the cathedral was completed. Between 1292 and 1375, a number of chapels were added between the buttresses of the side naves.
In the 19th century, after a long period of neglect, Viollet-le-Duc carried out a thorough restoration that took more than 25 years. This restoration was not entirely without controversy as elements were added to the interior that the medieval building had never known. The facade was also radically altered by adding a second gallery between the upper parts of the towers.