Amiens: The Cathedral

We could not start our trip until afternoon on Friday, Sept 15. This is because I had to take lessons for a French driving license in the morning. (That, however, will be another story.) In the afternoon Theresa, Katie, and I drove for 4 hours or so to reach the town of Amiens. This is where we spent the night.

Amiens is not in Normandy, but rather is leading city in the adjoining region of Picardy. Of course, every major city has a cathedral...and the cathedral at Amiens is one of the best in France for sculputure and ornament. Following are a few pictures for your enjoyment.
Historians say that the church statuary of the middle ages was intended to tell a story to the illiterate faithful. The portals of the Amiens cathedral are a wonderful example of this. Even an illiterate like me can read the story of the day of judgement in the carvings. The first picture below shows the big picture...of Christ at the top sitting in judgement of heaven and earth. Below him, the angels are sorting out the souls between heaven and hell. The last picture below shows a close up of the souls being sorted by both angels and demons.