This Cathedral is indeed no less than the world's largest Cathedral for its interior volume and only the Cathedrals of Chartres , Reims, and Beauvais come close to it. But size is not everything so I've been told and so I like to think and what is really unique here are the quality and the quantity of the sculptures which made architect Viollet-le-Duc refer to it as "the Parthenon of Gothic Architecture".
I personally rank this cathedral third after the cathedrals of Chartres and Bourges because those two also have a lot of interesting sculptures particularly Chartres but they also have what Amiens lacks of: stained glass even though Amiens has a little. I would nevertheless put it on the list of must-see-Gothic churches as the pictures on this page will explain better than words. Just to let you know. And while in Amiens, we can have lunch or dinner if we stay for the night-show near the canals which have given that part of the city the nickname "little Venice of the North" I've put Amiens in the "half-day tours" but that's only because I suggest that you combine it with another destination to make it a full-day tour because it's 80 miles north of Paris.
I guess we could plan" just the cathedral" in a 5-hour-round-trip and stay a couple hours on location but I don't recommend it. Another thing which could interest you in Amiens is the House of Jules Verne where the famous writer spent 18 years and where he wrote about 30 novels.
Interesting house of the 19th century with a lot of memorabilia. I would nevertheless only go there if you know who he is and you want to know more about him. Otherwise I wouldn't bother. Jules Verne by Nadar around Home About me Who am I? Amiens Cathedral.
