Neglectful centuries have seen the great churches of the High Middle Ages lose one of their most striking characteristics: color. The walls and statues of Gothic churches were brightly polychromed, both on the interior and on the exterior.
These magnificent buildings retain their grandeur, but their walls, faded to plain gray stone, would have been unacceptable to mediaeval men. Sadly, the monochromy of surviving Gothic architecture has given many contemporary men the misconception that Gothic architecture is not supposed to be painted; I think about this every time I see Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago, with its great bare walls and soaring, empty vaults. A Gothic church in full color is difficult to find nowadays; those that exist (such as St. Mary's in Krakow) are so striking as to be presumed exceptional.
None of the great 13th century French Cathedrals has been repainted, but Amiens Cathedral offers its visitors a hint of its original beauty. On summer nights and special occasions, spotlights and lasers are projected at the façade, bathing the ornaments and statuary in bright colors.
