Robert of Luzarches facts for kids
Robert of Luzarches was a famous French architect from the 1200s. He was born in a town called Luzarches, near Pontoise, around the late 1100s. Robert is best known for his important work on the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Amiens.
Robert was asked by King Philip II to help make the city of Paris more beautiful. He also helped with building the famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Building the Amiens Cathedral
The old cathedral in Amiens was destroyed by a big fire in 1218. Bishop Evrard de Fouilloy decided to rebuild it in the new Gothic style. This style used tall arches, big windows, and flying buttresses.
Work on the new Amiens Cathedral began in 1220. Robert of Luzarches was chosen as the main architect for this huge project. He was the first architect, and later, Thomas de Cormont and his son continued the work. The cathedral was finally finished many years later.
Robert was a layman, meaning he was not a bishop, priest, or monk. This was becoming more common for architects during this time. He did not work on the cathedral for a very long time.
A Masterpiece of Design
After Bishop Evrard, Thomas de Cormont took over as the architect. Even before 1240, parts of the cathedral were already finished. People at the time called it the "Gothic Parthenon" because it was so grand.
Robert's design for Amiens Cathedral became a model for other churches. It was known for how well it balanced weight and strength. The cathedral is much larger than Notre Dame in Paris and bigger than the cathedral of Reims.
The design of Amiens Cathedral includes a large middle aisle and two side aisles. The choir section has five aisles, and the transept (the part that crosses the main body) is as wide as seven aisles. The choir is surrounded by seven chapels. The main chapel, called the Lady chapel, sticks out further than the others, which was a popular French style.
The nave, which is the main part of the church, is about 143 meters (470 feet) long. It is about 50 meters (164 feet) wide, and even wider at the transept, reaching 65 meters (213 feet). The cathedral stands very tall, reaching about 43 meters (141 feet) high.
Images for kids
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Robert de Luzarches sculpted in an armrest of the stalls of the Amiens Cathedral.
See also
In Spanish: Robert de Luzarches para niños
