# Interior view [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [ARCHITECT, French]() - Date: 1251-1300 - Technique: Photo ## Commentary Interior view c. 1250 Photo Cathedral of Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais, Soissons \(Aisne\) The construction of the south transept \(the oldest part of the church\) was begun soon after building land was donated in 1177. The choir with its original three-storey elevation and extremely tall clerestory was completed in 1211. Work then continued into the nave until the late 13th century. The single western tower dates from the mid-13th century and is an imitation of those of Notre-Dame de Paris, which it equals in height \(66 m\). The tower was restored after it and part of the nave were severely damaged in World War I. A matching tower on the other side of the façade was originally planned, but never built. The south transept is four-storied. It is here that filigree work reached its height, for instead of the ground-floor arcade having a single arch per bay and the galley two \(the usual arrangement\), both levels have three extremely slender arches set between the main piers. This resulted in a considerable reduction of wall surface in the spandrels of the arches, so that the building appears to consist only of responds and arches. The increase in the number of triforium arches to six per bay, and of the clerestory windows to three, also contributes to the disappearance of the walls. Soissons Cathedral represents one of the high points of early Gothic architecture. The photo shows the nave and choir. View the <a href="\#" onClick="w=window.open \('/support/plans/zzzarchi/13c/2/1/soissons.html', 'newWin', 'scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=400,height=600'\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return false">ground plan</a> of Soissons Cathedral. ## Related artworks - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Aerial view]() - [Bird's eye view]() - [Burial lantern]() - [Castle]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()