Reims Notre-Dame Cathedral

The ancient cathedral burnt down on 6 May 1210. A year later to the day, at the instigation of Archbishop Aubry de Humbert, work began on a new cathedral built above the original foundations. The cathedral is noted for its rare unity of style, despite a period of construction that spanned over two hundred years, principally in the 13th century. The two towers, which soar to a height of almost 82 metres, were built in the first half of the 15th century. The highest point is the steeple angel, perched above the apse at a height of 87 metres. The cathedral is one of France's most important works of Gothic art, both for its architecture and statuary. No other cathedral in Europe boasts as many sculpted elements (2,303 in total).

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On 24 July 1481, the roof was destroyed by fire. It took nine years to rebuild.

1744 saw the destruction of the gallery, altars and choir railings, with a view to "embellishments"; the labyrinth, in whose corners figured the first four architects, also disappeared at this time. During the French Revolution, the roof's decorative ridge of fleur-de-lis and clovers was removed because it was deemed too evocative of the Ancien Régime. The lintel's 13th century sculptures were removed and replaced with a Revolutionary inscription. In the 19th century, renovation work began and several architects (including Viollet-le-Duc) created new features for the cathedral, for the most part in the upper sections.

On 19 September 1914, the cathedral's "martyrdom" began with the German bombardments. A devastating fire soon spread from scaffolding on the north tower to the entire roof structure, with the melted lead pouring forth from the gargoyles. The cathedral was later renovated by Henri Deneux, chief architect for Historical Monuments, with the precious help of American sponsors.Work was begun in 1919 and continues to this day.

On 8 July 1962, French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer celebrated the reconciliation between their two peoples in the presence of Monseigneur Marty, Archbishop of Reims. On 22 September 1996, Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral to celebrate the 1500-year anniversary of King Clovis's baptism by Saint Remi.

THE CORONATION CATHEDRAL

Clovis' baptism, around the year 498, gave birth to the Kingdom of the Franks.This exceptional event explains the choice of Reims as the coronation city. In the present cathedral, twenty-four French monarchs were crowned, from Louis VIII to Charles X.