Laon Cathedral | The architects who built it

Nothing is known about the builders of this cathedral. However, the similarities between Notre-Dame de Laon and the cathedrals of Senlis and Noyon suggest that they were familiar with the other towns in Picardy, and that they may have trained in the Ile-de-France region. The builders were skilled craftsmen, remarkable for their technical knowledge. Skilled surveyors, they mastered the calculation of proportions.

The proof is in the centre of the nave, with a black stone embedded in the paving. Four rectangles are engraved on it. These are the reference rectangles that would have been used for the regular layout of the building. Two of these rectangles are in the proportions of the golden ratio, obtained with the compass and embodying divine perfection. The other two require a perfect knowledge of geometric sequences, one of which is based on the square. All these mathematical figures bear witness to the genius of the cathedral's architects.

On this site, all the skills were brought together: quarrymen, masons, stonemasons, sculptors, carpenters, blacksmiths, glassmakers... But the main difficulty in building a cathedral lay in transporting the materials. Large quantities of stone, wood and sand were needed to supply the site. Fortunately, Laon and the surrounding area had numerous underground quarries that were easy to access and very rich in good quality limestone.