Amiens

Amiens (pop. 136,400), city in northern France, capital of the Somme department on the Somme River 80 mi (130 km) north of Paris. An important trade and manufacturing center, Amiens has been noted since the 16th century for its linens, woolens, silks, and velvets. Its Cathedral of Notre Dame, begun c. 1220, is one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.