The Cathédrale Saint-Pierre is one of architecture's great uncompleted ambitions — and, paradoxically, more interesting for being unfinished than most complete cathedrals are. Construction in its current form began in 1225 under Bishop Milon de Nanteuil, who wanted to surpass every existing Gothic church in height. The choir vault, finished in 1272, reached 48.5 metres — still the highest Gothic choir vault ever built, a record that has never been broken.
Standing inside is a disorienting experience. Without a nave to give the building its expected horizontal dimension, the eye has nowhere to go but up. The proportions feel impossible: the columns thin as pencils rising into a vault that seems too far away to be real. The flying buttresses outside, which now surround the choir in a dense tangle of stone, are an emergency measure added after the 1284 collapse — but they have become as much a part of the cathedral's character as the vault itself.
The south transept rose window is exceptional, flooding the interior with warm light on clear mornings. The Gothic transept was completed in the 16th century, long after the main building phase; the north transept portal has an elaborate carved doorway worth examining closely.
The cathedral contains the Beauvais astronomical clock, built between 1865 and 1868, which occupies a substantial portion of the south transept. It has 52 dials, 90,000 parts, and depicts the solar system, tidal movements, and the time in 18 cities. Demonstrations are held daily. Admission to the cathedral is free; there may be a small charge for the clock demonstration.