The Parthenon of Gothic

Amiens Cathedral, located in northern France, has been celebrated as 'the Parthenon of Gothic Architecture' due to its grandeur and historical significance. This label stems from a misquotation by John Ruskin in The Bible of Amiens (1880–85), where he drew an analogy between the cathedral and the Parthenon in Athens, a comparison that had been part of his discourse on Gothic architecture since his earlier work, The Stones of Venice (1851–53). The study explores how this metaphorical language has shaped perceptions of Amiens Cathedral's architectural brilliance and its place in the canon of Gothic design.

Hughes, T. (2024). The Parthenon of Gothic. En Couple, 205–222. https://doi.org/10.4000/12irr