Cathedral of Saint-Pierre
Quick Summary
The Cathedral of Saint-Pierre in Beauvais, France, was intended to be the largest cathedral in Europe. Construction spanned from the 10th to the 16th century, with its apse and transept surviving multiple collapses. The choir, at 157 feet (48 meters), remains the tallest ever constructed.1
The cathedral's ambitious design reflects the Gothic architectural style, characterized by features like the pointed arch and ribbed vault, which allowed for taller and broader structures with larger windows. While the main cathedral was under construction, the Romanesque church of the Basse Oeuvre occupied the space planned for the nave. Beauvais itself is a town in northern France, historically significant as the capital of the Bellovaci tribe and later a countship held by bishops.21
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Western architectureHigh Gothic…last of these gigantic buildings, Beauvais Cathedral, had a disastrous history, which included the collapse of its vaults, and it was never completed. In about 1230 architects became less interested in size and more interested in decoration. The result was the birth of what is known as the Rayonnant style…
Read More…last of these gigantic buildings, Beauvais Cathedral, had a disastrous history, which included the collapse of its vaults, and it was never completed. In about 1230 architects became less interested in size and more interested in decoration. The result was the birth of what is known as the Rayonnant style…
Read More
constructionStone construction…high, and finally in 1347 Beauvais Cathedral reached the maximum height of 48 meters (157 feet), but its vaults soon collapsed and had to be rebuilt. The spans of the naves of Gothic churches remained fairly small, about 13 to 16 meters (45 to 55 feet); only a few late…
Read More…high, and finally in 1347 Beauvais Cathedral reached the maximum height of 48 meters (157 feet), but its vaults soon collapsed and had to be rebuilt. The spans of the naves of Gothic churches remained fairly small, about 13 to 16 meters (45 to 55 feet); only a few late…
Read More