Reims Cathedral facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Reims Cathedral
Cathedral of Our Lady of Reims
French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Façade of the cathedral, looking northeast
Reims Cathedral Location in France
49°15′14″N 4°2′3″E / 49.25389°N 4.03417°E / 49.25389; 4.03417
Location	Place du Cardinal Luçon, 51100 Reims, France
Country	France
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Status	Cathedral
Dedication	Our Lady of Reims
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Jean d'Orbais Jean-le-Loup Gaucher of Reims Bernard de Soissons
Architectural type	Church
Style	High Gothic
Years built	1211–1345
Groundbreaking	1211 (1211)
Completed	1275 (1275)
Specifications
Length	149.17 m (489.4 ft)
Floor area	6,650 m² (71,600 sq ft)
Number of towers	2
Tower height	81 m (266 ft)
Bells	2 (in south tower)
Administration
Archdiocese	Reims (Seat)

Reims Cathedral, also known as Notre-Dame de Reims, is a famous Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Reims, France. Its name means "Our Lady of Reims," honoring the Virgin Mary. This cathedral was the traditional place where the kings of France were crowned.

Reims Cathedral is a top example of Gothic architecture, a style known for its tall arches and detailed designs. It attracts about one million visitors every year. In 1991, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its special cultural importance.

The first church on this site was built in the early 5th century. Around 496 AD, Clovis I, the first Frankish king, was baptized here by Saint Remigius. This event started the tradition of French kings being crowned in Reims.

The current cathedral was built between the 13th and 14th centuries. It replaced an older church that was destroyed by a fire in 1210. While it survived the French Revolution mostly intact, it was badly damaged during World War I. After the war, it underwent major restoration work.

Today, the French state owns the cathedral. The Catholic Church has an agreement to use it for religious services. The state also pays for its ongoing repairs and upkeep.

A Look at Reims Cathedral's Past

Early Churches: From Roman Times to the 9th Century

The area where Reims Cathedral stands today was once a Roman city. The first Christian church was built here between 250 and 300 AD. In the early 5th century, Bishop Nicasius moved the cathedral to its current spot. This new church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Around 496 AD, Clovis I, the King of the Franks, was baptized here by Saint Remigius. This important event led to Reims becoming the place where French kings would be crowned for centuries.

In 816, Louis the Pious, a Frankish king and Holy Roman Emperor, was crowned in Reims. This event showed that the old church was too small. So, a much larger church was started around 818. This new church was finished and dedicated in 862.

Later, in the 10th century, an old crypt under the church was found and restored. The main altar of the cathedral is still in the same spot, right above this crypt, where it has been for 15 centuries.

The Rise of a Coronation Site

The cathedral's importance grew because of the Holy Ampulla. This was a sacred vial of oil used to anoint French kings. The fact that Clovis I was baptized here also added to its fame. These reasons made Reims the main place for French royal coronations.

The tradition officially began with the crowning of Henry I of France in 1027. Almost all future French kings were crowned here. The cathedral also hosted other royal events, like the marriage of Henry I and Anne of Kiev in 1051.

The baptism of Clovis by a Gothic artist (14th c.)
The baptism of Clovis by the Master of Saint Giles (16th c.)
An image of the Carolingian cathedral on the tomb of Archbishop Hincmar (9th century), destroyed in 1793

Building the Great Gothic Cathedral

On May 6, 1210, the older cathedral was destroyed by a fire. Just one year later, in 1211, Archbishop Aubrey laid the first stone for the new cathedral. Building went very fast at first. Reims was one of the first buildings to use stones of standard sizes. This meant each stone did not have to be cut specially.

Work on the main front of the church began in 1230. This showed that the main part of the church was almost done. In 1233, there was a disagreement between the church leaders and the townspeople. This caused building to stop for three years. Work started again in 1236.

The main part of the church, called the nave, was roofed in 1299. The beautiful rose windows on the west front were finished after 1260. The names of the main architects who worked on the cathedral are known. They were Jean d'Orbais, Jean-le-Loup, Gaucher of Reims, and Bernard de Soissons.

The cathedral's towers were planned to be much taller. They were meant to be three times the height of the main part of the church. However, they were never fully built. The south tower holds two very large bells. One of them, named "Charlotte," weighs over 10,000 kilograms (10 tons).

Seal of the cathedral, showing how it appeared in the 12th century

Challenges and Changes: 15th to 18th Centuries

During the Hundred Years' War, the English tried to capture Reims in 1359-1360 but failed. In 1429, Joan of Arc helped the French take Reims back from the English. This allowed Charles to be crowned king on July 17, 1429. Joan of Arc is honored at Reims Cathedral with two statues.

In 1481, a fire caused by workers damaged the roof and a central spire. Kings Charles VIII and Louis XII helped pay for repairs. The new roof was decorated with royal symbols. However, some planned parts, like taller spires, were never built.

In the 18th century, the inside of the cathedral was changed. Old medieval furniture was replaced with new, more modern pieces. During the French Revolution in 1793, the cathedral was closed. It was used as a storage building for a short time. Many statues and symbols of royalty were damaged, but most of the medieval sculptures survived.

Edward III of England besieges Reims in the Reims Campaign. The cathedral is visible in the background.
Coronation of Charles VII in 1429, by Jules Eugène Lenepveu, showing Joan of Arc at right.
Coronation of Louis XIII, October 17, 1610
Coronation procession of Louis XV (1724)
Coronation of Louis XVI (1775)

Modern Times: War and Restoration

After Napoleon's fall, royal coronations briefly returned to Reims. The last king crowned here was Charles X in 1825. Throughout the 19th century, the cathedral underwent many restoration projects. Architects worked to bring back its original medieval look.

In World War I, Reims Cathedral was severely damaged. On September 19, 1914, shells hit the wooden roof structure, setting it on fire. The roof was completely destroyed, bells melted, and windows were blown out. Images of the ruined cathedral were shared to show the destruction.

After the war, a big restoration project began in 1919. It received funding from the Rockefeller Foundation. Modern techniques, like reinforced concrete, were used to make the structure stronger. The cathedral was reopened in 1938. Restoration work has continued since then.

In 1962, French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer met at the cathedral. This meeting was a symbol of peace and friendship between France and Germany. In 1991, the cathedral, along with other nearby historical sites, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The cathedral after bombardment (1914)
The cathedral, without its roof, after the bombardment
Interior of the cathedral after the bombardment
Coronation of Charles X of France at Reims in 1825 by François Gérard
Reims Cathedral under restoration in 1845, by Adrien Dauzats

Key Moments in Reims Cathedral's History

c. 250-300 - Saint Sixtus of Reims is recorded as the first bishop of Reims.
420 - Bishop Nicasius builds a new cathedral.
496 - Clovis I, King of the Franks, is baptized by Bishop Remi.
816 - King Louis the Pious is crowned in the cathedral.
862 - A new, larger cathedral is consecrated.
1140-1160 - Archbishop Samson rebuilds parts of the church.
1208 - First stone of the current cathedral is laid.
1241 - The choir, apse, and part of the nave are completed.
1299 - The roof of the nave is finished.
1481 - A fire destroys the roof and transept spire.
1504 - Reconstruction after the fire is completed.
1741–1749 - Medieval furniture is removed and the interior is redecorated.
1793 - During the French Revolution, the cathedral is used for storage.
1825–1830 - Restoration of the west portals begins.
1914–1918 - The cathedral is heavily damaged during World War I.
1918–1937 - Major repairs of war damage are carried out.
1962 - President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer meet here.
1996 - Pope John Paul II visits for the 1500th anniversary of Clovis's baptism.
2011 - The cathedral celebrates its 800th anniversary.

Cathedral Layout

Apse (left), transept (centre), nave and west front (right)
Plan of the cathedral

Outside the Cathedral

The West Front: A Royal Welcome

The west front is the main entrance to the cathedral. It is known for its beautiful sculptures that honor royalty. It has two towers of the same height and three main doorways. These doorways have many sculptures.

Above the central doorway is a large rose window. Above that is the gallery of kings. This gallery has 56 statues, each about 4.5 meters (15 feet) tall. Clovis I, the first Christian king of the Franks, is in the center.

West façade and portals
Gallery of kings
Central portal and rose window

West Doorways: Stories in Stone

The three main doorways tell stories from the Bible through their sculptures. The central doorway is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It shows her being crowned, symbolizing her marriage to Christ's church.

The south doorway shows the Last Judgement and the Apocalypse. You can see Christ judging, angels, and symbols of good and evil.

The north doorway shows the Crucifixion of Christ. Other scenes show the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus into heaven. On the left of this doorway is the famous Smiling Angel. This angel was damaged in World War I but was repaired.

Sculpture of the south portal - Simon, John the Baptist, and Isaiah
Sculpture over the central portal:
the crowning of the Virgin Mary
Embrasement of the north portal, including the Smiling Angel next to the Virgin Mary

Towers and Transept

The original roof and spires were destroyed by fire in 1481. The two towers on the west front were meant to be much taller. Today, the south tower holds two very large bells. One bell, named "Charlotte," weighs ten tons.

The transept is the part of the cathedral that crosses the main body. The north transept has three doorways with sculptures. They are dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Christian saints, and the Last Judgement. Above these are three rose windows. The north rose window is an early example of "bar tracery." This means the glass panes are separated by thin stone bars.

The south transept is similar but has windows instead of doorways. Its large rose window was replaced after a hurricane in 1580. At the very top of the south transept is a statue of a Sagittarius, an ancient archer.

The towers of the west façade
Detail of the north tower
Detail of south tower
Portal of the north transept
The north transept
The south transept
The flamboyant pignon of the south transept, with statue of a Sagittarius on top

Walls and Supports

The long walls of the main part of the church, called the nave, are supported by eleven flying buttresses on each side. These buttresses help hold up the high ceiling. They allow the walls to be thin and have large windows, letting in lots of light. The buttresses also have channels to carry rainwater away from the building.

After a fire in 1481, a decorative gallery was added to the upper walls. This hides the base of the roof. The roof itself is very tall, rising sixteen meters (about 52 feet) to its peak.

South façade
Buttresses on the north side of the nave support the upper walls
Detail of the north roofline

The Apse: East End Beauty

The apse is the rounded east end of the cathedral. It has one main chapel and four smaller chapels around it. The outside of the apse is richly decorated with arches, spires, and many statues. Many of these sculptures were added in the 19th century.

Above the choir (the area for the clergy) is a tall, slender spire called a flèche. It is 18 meters (about 59 feet) tall. This spire was rebuilt in the 15th century and again in the 1920s.

An angel decorating the apse
The apse
The flèche over the apse

Inside the Cathedral

West Wall Interior: Stories and History

Inside the west front, there is a wall covered with sculptures. Some of these statues were damaged during the 1914 bombardment but have been restored. The sculptures tell biblical stories. They also connect these stories to historical events, like the baptism of Christ and the baptism of Clovis.

One famous scene shows Abraham, dressed as a knight, receiving bread and wine from Melchizedek. This scene is a preview of the Christian ceremony of the Eucharist.

John the Baptist, Isaiah and David, reverse of west façade
Sculpture on the reverse of the west façade
The Communion of the Knight, on the reverse of west façade

The Nave: A Grand Space

The nave is the main part of the church where people sit. It is very long and has a consistent style. Its great height is possible because of strong rib vaults in the ceiling. These vaults are supported by the flying buttresses outside.

The nave has three levels: tall arches on the ground floor, a narrower gallery called the triforium above, and then tall windows. The columns supporting the arches are made of groups of smaller columns. These lines emphasize the height of the church. The tops of the columns, called capitals, are decorated with delicate plant sculptures and sometimes imaginary creatures.

Capitals of the clustered columns, here modelled after the leaves of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus).
Nave, looking east toward the choir
Four-part rib vaults of the nave

The Transept: Royal Ceremonies and Art

The transept is the part of the cathedral that crosses the nave. It is wider and taller than the nave. This area was specially used for the coronation ceremonies of French kings. In the Middle Ages, a large screen separated this part from the nave.

The cathedral's main organ is located on the north wall of the transept. The main altar is also in the transept. It is made of red marble and is a copy of the original altar destroyed in World War I.

The south transept has a beautiful Renaissance retable (a decorated screen behind an altar). It shows sculptures of the Virgin Mary and other figures. In the north transept, there is a medieval clock from the 14th century. It looks like a small church and shows the seasons and moon phases.

The north transept, with the cathedral organ
The coronation of Louis XIV in the transept of the cathedral (1654)
Interior of the south transept, with rose window
The main altar, in the transept (copy of 1747 altar)
The 14th-century astronomical clock in the north transept
Retable in the Rosary Chapel, south transept (16th c.)

Choir and Chapels

The choir is the area reserved for the clergy. It is shorter than the nave but wider and taller. It has a double walkway, called an ambulatory, which leads to five chapels at the east end. The columns in the ambulatory are large and have richly decorated tops.

One of the chapels is dedicated to Joan of Arc. It contains a statue of her in armor, holding a banner. This statue was made in 1901.

The gallery of the choir and radiating chapels
The statue of Joan of Arc in the chapel of her name
The retable and altar in the axial chapel

The Cathedral Organs

The main pipe organ in the cathedral is very old. It was largely destroyed by fire in 1481 but was rebuilt. It is located in the north transept, below the rose window. The organ is decorated with sculptures of Christ and angels.

This grand organ was damaged again in World War I and rebuilt. It was opened again in 1938. It is one of the largest organs in France, with over six thousand pipes. It is often used for concerts. A smaller organ is also located in the choir.

Grand organ in the north transept
Decoration of the grand organ
Organ of the choir

Beautiful Stained Glass Windows

West Front Windows

Many of the original stained glass windows remain inside the west front. The large rose window in the center shows the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. This matches the sculpture of her crowning on the outside. The circles of glass in the window show the twelve apostles, angel musicians, and Old Testament kings and prophets.

The windows below the rose window show the coronations of French kings. The smaller rose window above the central doorway was made in 1938. It shows scenes about the Virgin Mary.

West portal rose window
Detail of the west rose window

Nave Windows

Before World War I, most of the nave's upper windows had their original glass. Each of the 36 windows showed a bishop below and a French king above. Only four of these original windows survived the war intact. The others have been restored using old and new glass.

13th-century nave window representing a bishop

Transept Windows

The north rose window in the transept shows the biblical Creation story. Much of its original 13th-century glass is still there. The central figure is God the creator.

The upper windows of the transept are mostly made of white "grisaille" glass. Many of these are also from the 13th century. This type of glass lets in a lot of light, which was important for the coronation ceremonies held in the transept.

Some unique modern windows are in the south transept. They celebrate the monk Dom Perignon and the history of French champagne. These windows were made in the 1950s. Other modern windows in the transept and choir have abstract patterns.

North transept rose window
South transept rose window
Windows celebrating the monk Dom Perignon and the local French champagne industry
Abstract grisaille window by Brigitte Simon

Choir and Chapel Windows

A few of the higher windows in the choir still have their original 13th-century glass. However, most have been heavily restored.

Some of the most famous windows in the cathedral are modern. They are in the main chapel at the east end. These three windows were designed by Marc Chagall and made with glass artist Charles Marq. They show the family tree of Christ, stories from the Old and New Testaments, and important moments in Reims' history.

Windows of the three high bays of the axial chapel
Archbishop Henri de Braine, in the axial chapel

The Archbishop's Palace and Treasury

The archbishop's palace, called the Palace of Tau, is next to the cathedral. It was where the archbishop lived. It also hosted the banquets for the new kings of France after their coronations.

The palace has its own chapel, built in the Gothic style. The main residential part of the palace was rebuilt in a more classical style in the late 17th century. The upper floor has the hall used for the coronation banquets.

The cathedral has a great collection of tapestries. These used to hang in the choir and are now displayed in the cathedral or the Palace of Tau. Some tapestries show scenes from the life of Clovis. Others show the life of the Virgin Mary.

The cathedral treasury holds many valuable objects. These include special containers for relics, some used in coronations. The Holy Ampulla is here. It is a small flask that holds a piece of the ancient oil used to anoint French kings. The "Talisman of Charlemagne" is a 12th-century piece with a piece of the True Cross. The "Chalice of Saint Remigius" is believed to be the cup used when Clovis was crowned.

Bride meets the groom, in the "Song of Songs" Tapestry (16th century)
The Palace of Tau, or archiepiscopal palace, with its chapel on the right
Tapestry from the Life of the Virgin Series (16th century)
The talisman of Charlemagne (12th century)
The chalice of Saint Remigius, used at French coronations (12th and 19th c.)
Detail of the reliquary of Saint Ursula (16th century)

Celebrating 800 Years

In 2011, the city of Reims celebrated the cathedral's 800th anniversary. The celebrations lasted for several months. There were concerts, street performances, and light shows on the cathedral. Six new stained glass windows, designed by German artist Imi Knoebel, were also added. These windows are next to the famous Chagall windows in the apse.

Images for kids

The Cathedral of Reims, by Domenico Quaglio the Younger
North tower
Rose windows, west end
Interior view, west rose
Organ
Central altar
Stained-glass at the west end of the northern aisle
The Cathedral of Reims at night Rêve de couleurs
Roof details
Support structure of the roof
The labyrinth of the cathedral
Paving stone in cathedral nave commemorating baptism of Clovis by Saint Remi
Main gate
Golden eagle
Villard de Honnecourt's drawing of a flying buttress at Reims, ca. 1230s (Bibliothèque nationale)
Flying buttress with pinnacle and a statue
Marker in memory of World War I
Gargoyle on the west façade