Amiens facts for kids

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Amiens

Coat of arms

Country

France

Arrondissement

Amiens

Area

49.46 km² (19.10 sq mi)

Population

(2006)

139,271

• Density

2,815.83/km² (7,293.0/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+01:00 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+02:00 (CEST)

Elevation

14–106 m (46–348 ft)
(avg. 33 m or 108 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, 120 km (75 mi) north of Paris and 100 km (62 mi) south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Hauts-de-France.

The city had a population of 136,105 according to the 2006 census, and one of the biggest university hospitals in France with a capacity of 1,200 beds.

Amiens Cathedral, the tallest of the large, classic, Gothic churches of the 13th century and the largest in France of its kind, is a World Heritage Site.

The author Jules Verne lived in Amiens from 1871 until his death in 1905, and served on the city council for 15 years.

The town was fought over during both World Wars, suffering much damage, and occupied several times by both sides. The 1918 Battle of Amiens was the opening phase of the Hundred Days Offensive which led directly to the Armistice with Germany.

Heavily bombed by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, the city was rebuilt according to Pierre Dufau's plans with wider the streets to ease traffic congestion. These newer structures were primarily built of brick, concrete and white stone with slate roofs.

Culture, tourism and heritage

Macarons

The strategic position of Amiens makes it an attractive destination for a weekend or a few days, from Paris, Lille or Brussels. Amiens also benefits from the proximity of the Baie de Somme, a tourist hot spot.

Amiens has the label of Towns and Lands of Art and History since 1992. The guided tours are theme related intended for an audience of adults and children with educational workshops.

A signposted circuit allows an independent tour of the town, with information panels offering comment on places and notable buildings.

Amiens has an important historical and cultural heritage, an accessible and a varied natural heritage, on which tourism is based. Apart from the cathedral, there is Jules Verne House, the Tour Perret, the Musée de Picardie, the zoo, and the quarters of Saint-Leu and Saint-Maurice.

A total of 53 monuments are listed in the inventory of monuments historiques, 126 places and monuments listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage, and 263 objects listed in the inventory of monuments historiques.

Duck Pâté and baguette

During December, the town hosts the largest Christmas market in northern France. Amiens has a rich gastronomic heritage.

Amiens is known for a few local foods, including "macarons d'Amiens", small, round-shaped biscuit-type macaroons made from almond paste, fruit and honey, which were first recorded in 1855; chocolate and orange curved "tuiles" or biscuits; duck pate in pastry, made since the 17th century; and "la ficelle Picarde", an oven-baked cheese-topped crêpe with ham and mushroom filling, then topped with fresh cream flavored with nutmeg, white pepper, and sprinkled with grated cheese before being browned in the oven. The region is also known for "flamiche aux poireaux", a puff pastry tart made with leeks and cream.

Images for kids

Map of the Amiens and its surrounding communes
The Somme in the old town at the beginning of the 20th century
The Becquet Bridge, at the start of the 20th century
centre
Map of parking in the city center of Amiens in 2009
Town Hall Halles Jacobins Trois Cailloux Saint-Leu Amiens 2 Perret Free outdoor parking
Vélam public bicycle sharing system in Amiens
Gare du Nord and its canopy in August 2012
The River Somme from the Boulevard de Beauvillé
Houses in the Saint-Leu quarter.
The headquarters of France 3 Picardie
Chamber of commerce and industry of Amiens [fr] and Chartier-Corbasson architectes [fr], in 2012
Façade of Notre-Dame Cathedral
The belfry of Amiens
The municipal circus of Amiens in 1912, on the festival of Saint Jean.
The municipal circus of Amiens in 2006.
The principal parks and gardens in the city.
Musée de Picardie
Musée de l'Hôtel de Berny
The House of Jules Verne [fr] from the Mail Albert 1st
The House of Culture of Amiens [fr]
The Royal de luxe company during the 28th Fête dans la ville in 2005.
The Festival Art, city and landscape in the Hortillonnages
Detail of the son et lumière show of Amiens, la cathédrale en couleurs.
The Grande Réderie d'Amiens
Amiens, la cathédrale en couleurs.
The Fête au bord de l'eau
The 13th Rendez-Vous de la Bande Dessinée d'Amiens [fr] in 2008.
The Gilles of Binche at the inauguration of the Christmas market in 2013.
The Un été en musique event at the Jules Bocquet bandstand.
The Rabeats
Statue of Peter the Hermit by Gédéon de Forceville [fr], near to the cathedral.
Jean-Baptiste Gresset
Choderlos de Laclos
Jules Verne
Olivier Blanchard
Jean-Pierre Pernaut and his wife
Laurent Delahousse in 2013
Emmanuel Macron in 2017
The minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem in June 2012
The Place Gambetta: An important hub of the former tram network of Amiens at the beginning of the 20th century
The lycée de jeunes filles and tramway, Rue des Otages, now Lycée Madeleine-Michelis
A bus of the network of public transport in Amiens [fr]
Gare du Nord (old postcard published by Caron No. 328, postmarked in 1909)
Inside Saint-Roch railway station (postcard postmarked in 1905)
Gare Saint-Roch
Gare de Longueau
Place du Don: The River Somme and cathedral
Saint-Leu: Rue du Hocquet
Saint-Leu: Rue d'Engoulvent and Rue des Majots
Saint-Leu: Rue d'Engoulvent
Saint-Leu: Place Aristide Briand
Canal in the Saint-Leu quarter
Quai Bélu on the banks of the Somme, near the old market on the waterside
The Samarobriva footbridge towards the Saint-Pierre Park
The Coliséum
Stade de la Licorne
The Gothiques d'Amiens in 2008
Jérémy Stravius, member of the Amiens Métropole Natation [fr] club
The church of Saint-Acheul
Door of the church of Saint-Germain-l'Écossais
The Gothic façade of the church of Saint-Leu
The church of Saint-Remi
The church of Sainte-Anne
The bell tower of the church of Saint-Pierre
The church of Saint-Honoré, Esplanade Branly
The cathedral seen from the Rue André
West entrance
Entrance
The labyrinth
The choir
Columns
Mausoleum of Charles de Vitry
Tomb of Canon Lucas
The Logis du Roy and the Maison du Sagittaire.
The Maison du bailliage ou Malmaison, former residence of the bailli of Amiens, constructed in 1541.
Gate of the Ravelin of Montrescu constructed from 1524 to 1531.
The city hall
The former Stengel barracks converted into apartments (18th century, historic monuments, 1992).
Façade of the former theatre of Amiens, bank Rue des Trois-Cailloux.
Fountain of Rue Saint-Jacques.
Convent of the grey sisters (18th century, historic monuments, 1992).
Abbaye Saint-Jean-des-Prémontrés [fr] (18th century, historic monuments, 1992).
Hôtel Blin de Bourdon (18th century: 1 Rue des Augustins (historic monuments, 1993).
Maison Cozette (18th century) : 26 Place Vogel (historic monuments, 1992).
Hôtel de la Préfecture (18th and 19th centuries, historic monuments, 1992).
Palace of Justice (19th century, historic monuments).
Hôtel Acloque (19th century, historic monuments, 1999).
The convent of the Visitation-Sainte-Marie (19th century, historic monuments).
On a boat
Hortillonnages
Bridges
Hortillonnages
Bridge
Hortillonages
Boat
Red ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra)
Lar gibbons (Hylobates lar)
Red panda (Ailurus fulgens)
South American coati (Nasua nasua).
Jena and Praya, the two Asian elephants (Elephas maximus).
California sea lion (Zalophus californianus)
Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti)

Amiens facts for kids

Culture, tourism and heritage

Images for kids

See also