Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Episcopal Palace of Amiens, built in the 13th century near Notre Dame Cathedral, served as a residence for bishops until 1906. Originally destroyed at the end of the seventeenth century, it was rebuilt under the episcopate of François Lefebvre de Caumartin (1618-1652), adopting the present architecture in the shape of L, with a peristyle dated 1684. The building, made of brick and stone, now houses educational institutions such as the Groupe Sup de Co Amiens Picardie.

The palace was the scene of significant events, welcoming Louis XIII in 1638 and Louis XIV in 1667. A fire in 1762 partially destroyed the building under Bishop Louis-François-Gabriel of Orléans de la Motte. Nationalized in 1789, it later housed Bonaparte (1803) and Napoleon III (1854). The 1906 Law on the Separation of Churches and the State ended its episcopal function, transforming it into an administrative and educational place.

The stalls of the cathedral choir, a masterpiece carved from 1508 to 1519 in a workshop of the bishopric, illustrate the artistic importance of the palace. Funded by the Dean Adrien of Henencourt, they were realized by six Huchier masters for Bishop François de Halluin. The latter, mortally wounded by a boar, also had the arrow of the cathedral rebuilt (1528-1530).

Ranked a historic monument in 1965 for its facades, roofs and garden, the palace was occupied after 1946 by the School of Medicine, the School of Law, and a charitable office. Its peristyle, restored and illuminated, always bears the date of 1684. Today, it symbolizes the religious and civil heritage of Amiens, mixing medieval history and modern reuses.

Future

Today, the premises of the palace of the bishopric are used by the Sup Group of Co Amiens Picardie.

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