The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Cathedrals of Northern France by Francis Miltoun.

First bishops sent from Rome, IIIrd century
Cathedral destroyed by Huguenots, 1567
Chapels of nave which still remain, XIVth century
Late Gothic mainly of XVIIth century
Western towers completed, 1789

Length, 390 feet
Width, 144 feet
Height of nave, 102 feet
Diameter of rose windows in transept, 36
feet
Superficial area, 64,100 square feet

Founded by Bishop de Sully, 1160-1170
High altar dedicated, 1182
Interior completed (approx.), 1208
West front, 1223-1230
Western towers, 1235
Transept portals, 1257

First stone laid, 1212
First portion dedicated, 1215
Chapter takes possession of choir, 1244
Nave commenced, 1250
Transept and abside ornamented, 1295
South tower begun and completed, 1380-1391
Coronation of Charles VII., 1427
Southwest tower completed by Philastre, 1430
Tapestries added to choir, 1444
Belfry of the Angel built, 1497
Gable of the Assumption and Zodiac, 1408
Reëstablishment of grand altar, 1547
Repairs to portals and vaulting, 1610
Cathedral becomes national property, 1790
Exterior repairs and restoration, 1811
General restorations, 1840
2,083,411 francs voted by Chamber for restorations, 1875
Gifts of Gobelin tapestries, 1848

Length of nave and choir, 450 feet
Width, including transepts, 177 feet
Width of nave and aisles, 105 feet
Length of choir only, 118 feet
Height of nave, 92 feet
Height of central spire, 480 feet
Height of Tour de Beurre, 252 feet
Height of Tour St. Romain, 246 feet
Area (originally), 53,000 square feet

First church founded on site of cathedral by St. Mellar, VIIth century
Cathedral enlarged under Rollo, who was buried therein in 930
Consecrated and dedicated, 1063
Tour St. Romain, remains of, XIth century
Destroyed by fire, 1200
New building completed, XIIIth century
Portail de la Calende, XIVth century
Tour de Beurre laid, 1487
Tour de Beurre completed, 1507
Flamboyant west front, XVIth century
Altar of St. Romain, XVIIth century
Tomb of the Cardinals, 1556
Central spire, 1823
Restoration of west front, 1897

Relique of True Cross given by Charlemagne, 800 A. D.
Early church destroyed by fire, 970
New church dedicated, 997
Present building completed, 1168
Choir rebuilt, 1174
Present transept and nave, XIIth and XIIIth centuries
Glass in chapel of St. Savinien, XIIIth century
Glass of rose windows, XVIth century
Mausoleum of the Dauphin, XVIIIth century

Chapel first built above grave of St. Dionysius the martyr, 275 A. D.
Benedictine abbey first founded here in reign of Dagobert, 628
Pope Stephen took refuge here, 754
Romanesque façade, 1140
Consecration of the building, 1144
Nave, XIIIth century
Abbot Suger died, 1151
General restoration by Suger's successors, XIIIth century
Crenelated battlement added to façade, XIVth century
Spire burned by lightning, XIXth century
General restoration by Viollet-le-Duc, 1860
Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette reinterred here (removed from
the Madeleine), 1817

Bishopric founded, 1533
Astronomical clock, XVIth century
Tomb of St. Erkembode, VIIIth century
Tomb of St. Omer restored, XIIIth century
Former Episcopal Palace, now Palais de Justice, 1680

Choir begun, 1170
Tour Charlemagne, XIth century
Tour St. Martin, XIIth century
Transepts, 1316
West façade, 1430-1500
Southwest tower, 1507
Tomb of children of Charles VIII., 1483

Apse and chapels, 1206-1223
Choir and transepts, 1314-1315
Iron grille of choir, XIIIth century
Church consecrated, 1430
West façade, XVth century
Nave constructed during XIVth, XVth, XVIth centuries
North gable, XVth century
Tower St. Pierre, 1559-1568
Northwest tower demolished by lightning, 1700
Vaulting of transepts fell, 1840
Restoration of choir and transepts, 1840

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The above comparative measurements are given as being of the contemporary types of English and French cathedrals, being nearly approximate to each other as to the date of their erection and measurements. The figures themselves are transcribed from a little-known but thoroughly conscientious work by G. D. Whittington, entitled "Contributions to an Ecclesiastical Survey of France."

A Brief Glossary of architectural terms, with popular definitions, as applied to the components which compose the principal features of a cathedral church

	A. D.		A. D.
Charlemagne	768	Philip VI., de Valois	1328
Louis le Débonnaire	814	John II., the Good	1350
Charles le Chauve	840	Charles V., le Sage	1364
Louis II., le Bègue	877	Charles VI., the Beloved	1380
Louis III.	879	Charles VII., the Victorious	1422
Carloman	879	Louis XI.	1461
Charles le Gros	884	Charles VIII.	1483
Eudes	887	Louis XII., of Orleans	1498
Charles III., the Simple	893	Francis I.	1515
Robert I.	922	Henry II.	1547
Rodolf of Burgundy	923	Francis II.	1559
Louis IV., the Stranger	936	Charles IX.	1560
Lothaire	954	Henry III.	1574
Louis V., le Fainéant	986	Henry IV., the Great	1589
Hugh Capet	987	Louis XIII., the Just	1610
Robert II., the Wise	996	Louis XIV., le Grand	1643
Henry I.	1031	Louis XV.	1715
Philip I., l'Amoureux	1060	Louis XVI.	1774
Louis VI., le Gros	1108	Revolutionary Tribunal	1793
Louis VII., le Jeune	1137	Directory	1795
Philip Augustus	1180	Napoleon, Consul	1799
Louis VIII., the Lion	1223	Napoleon I., Emperor	1804
Louis IX., the Saint	1226	Louis XVIII.	1814
Philip III., the Hardy	1270	Charles X.	1824
Philip IV., the Fair	1285	Louis Philippe	1830
Louis X., Hutin	1314	Republic	1848
John I.	1316	Napoleon III., Emperor	1852
Philip V.	1316	Republic	1870
Charles IV., le Bel	1322

	Amiens	Salisbury
	French feet	English feet
Length east to west	415	452
Length west door to choir	220	246
Length behind choir, including lady-chapel	63	65
Length transepts north to south	182	210
Width nave	42.9	34.5
Width transept	42.9
Width side aisles	18	17.5
Width windows	41	48
Width nave and side aisles	78.9	102
Width west front	150	115
Height vault, nave	132	84
Height vault, choir	129
Height west towers	210
Height chapels	60
Height side aisles, nave	60.8
Height side aisles, choir	57.8	38
Distance between pillars	16
Height grand arches	78	78
Number of pillars	46
Number of chapels	25
Length of choir	130	140

Metres	English feet and decimal parts	Metres	English feet and decimal parts	Metres	English feet and decimal parts
1	3.281	20	65.618	300	984.270
2	6.562	30	98.427	400	1312.360
3	9.843	40	131.236	500	1640.450
4	13.123	50	164.045	600	1968.539
5	16.404	60	196.854	700	2296.629
6	19.685	70	229.663	800	2624.719
7	22.966	80	262.472	900	2952.809
8	26.247	90	295.281	1000	3280.899
9	29.528	100	328.090
10	32.809	200	656.180

A	Lady-chapel	The principal chapel, usually behind the high altar, at the extremity or eastern end of choir, dedicated to Our Lady (Notre Dame)
B	Transept	The middle portion of a church, which projects at right angles with the main body of nave and choir
C	Porch	Usually the vestibule or receding doorway
D	Lantern or crossing	Where the transept crosses and joins choir and nave, usually with windows, if a lantern proper
E	Choir	That portion of the edifice in which are stalls for the choristers, and chapter, also containing the Maître d'Autel
F	Ambulatory	The aisles or colonnade which surround the choir
G	Chapels	Literally a small place of worship containing an altar. In a great church, which may contain several, they are usually dedicated to male and female saints
H	Nave	The main body of a church, extending from the choir to the principal façade; i. e. that part between the outer aisles
I	Aisles	The lateral passage on either side of the nave and separated therefrom by piers or pillars
J	Portal	Literally, the framework of a doorway
K	Abside	The domed easterly end of a church
L	Sacristy	The apartment in which is kept the church plate and vestments

A	Nave aisle vaulting	The arched roof of stone
B	Nave vaulting	The arched roof of stone
C	Flying buttress	A supporting outside prop of the thrust variety. Notably a distinguishing feature of mediæval Gothic architecture
D	Side aisle	The passage which flanks the nave
E	Buttress pier	The outer support of a flying buttress
F	Pinnacle	On towers, buttress piers, gables, etc.
G	Gargoyle	A projecting water-spout carved grotesquely
H	Niche	A recess in a wall, or surmounting a pier; primarily to hold a statue

A	Clerestory	The upper range of windows of the nave; rising above the adjoining portions
B	Triforium	Literally, a blind window--a range of openings, or possibly an arcade-effect only, coming below the clerestory and above the lower arches of the nave
C	Arch (between nave and aisle)	Joining the piers or pillars which separate nave from aisles
D	Pillars (of nave)	Commonly called pillars, columns, and piers, but more often are literally pillars, being made up of blocks of stone one upon another
E	Vaulting	The stone arched roof
F	West wall	Here, in the true Gothic church, is usually found a rose window, though often obscured by the organ case
G	Arcaded gallery	A feature frequently seen in the interior of great churches, as distinct from the triforium. Either decorative or of practical value
H	Pavement	The floor, always of stone, and often of marble or mosaic

A	Flying buttresses	A thrust support, or prop, extending from the main fabric to an outer pier
B	Timber roof	The timber or scantling above the nave, which supports the outer tiled or leaden roofing
C	Nave	The main body of a church
D	Aisle	The passage which flanks the nave
E	Outer aisle	A second or outer passage flanking the nave
F	Stairway to roof of aisle	Stairways from the interior pavement, leading to triforium, belfry, or roof
G	Crypt	In reality a lower or subterranean church or chapel; from crypta, to hide
H	Buttress pier	The outer support of a flying buttress, or one lying directly against the wall which it strengthens

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INDEX