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Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Reims dans la Marne

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine religieux
Cathédrale
Eglise gothique
Marne

Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Reims

    Place du Cardinal Luçon
    51100 Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Crédit photo : Yann Grossel - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Antiquité
Haut Moyen Âge
Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
400
500
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1900
2000
401
Foundation of the first cathedral
496-499
Baptism of Clovis
1027
First Royal Acre in Reims
1211
Start of current construction
1429
Sacre de Charles VII
1481
A devastating fire
1914
German bombardment
1991
UNESCO classification
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

The cathedral: ranking by list of 1862 - The remains of the former Treasury Hall as well as the remains of the cloister before this room, 7 rue du Trésor: classification by order of 1 December 1920

Key figures

Saint Nicaise - Bishop of Reims (Vth century) Founded the first cathedral, martyr.
Clovis - King of the Franks Baptized in 496-499 by Saint Remi.
Saint Remi - Bishop of Reims Baptisa Clovis, major figure.
Jeanne d'Arc - Heroin of the Hundred Years War Allows Charles VII's sacre.
Henri Deneux - Chief Architect (XX century) Directed post-1914 reconstruction.
Eugène Viollet-le-Duc - Architect-restaurant (11th century) Restored the cathedral in 1860.
Marc Chagall - Artist (XX century) Created stained glass windows in 1974.

Origin and history

Notre Dame de Reims Cathedral, built in the 13th century in the Marne, is a jewel of French Gothic art. It succeeds several religious buildings built on the same site since the fifth century, including a first cathedral founded around 401 by Saint Nicaise, bishop of Reims. This place was marked by founding events such as the baptism of Clovis by Saint Remi between 496 and 499, and became as early as the 11th century the privileged place of the royal sacres, with the exception of some monarchs like Henry IV or Louis XVIII.

Construction of the current building began in 1211 after a fire destroyed the previous Romanesque cathedral. Four architects — Jean d'Orbais, Jean-le-Loup, Gaucher de Reims and Bernard de Soissons — follow each other to erect this monument, characterized by its 2,303 statues and architectural innovations, such as split bows. The cathedral was partially completed in the 14th century, but suffered major damage, particularly during a fire in 1481, requiring repairs financed by Kings Charles VIII and Louis XII.

A symbol of the French monarchy, the cathedral houses 30 royal sacres between 1027 and 1825, including that of Charles VII in 1429, made possible by Joan of Arc. Damaged during the French Revolution, it was restored by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century. During World War I, a German bombardment in 1914 caused a devastating fire, destroying the structure and much of the statuary. The reconstruction, led by Henri Deneux from 1919 onwards, uses modern techniques such as reinforced concrete.

The cathedral is also a high place of sacred art, home to medieval and contemporary stained glass windows, including those by Marc Chagall (1974) and by Imi Knoebel (2011). His organs, including Victor Gonzalez's great organ (1938), and his bells, such as the bells Charlotte (11 tons), make it a major cultural and spiritual site. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, it attracts 1.5 million visitors annually and remains a symbol of reconciliation, notably after the 1962 Franco-German visit between Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer.

Architecturally, the cathedral is distinguished by its 38-metre-high nave, two 81.5-metre-long towers, and its western façade, decorated with a gallery of kings and three carved gates. The central portal, dedicated to the Virgin, and the roses (including that of the transept north, inspired by Notre-Dame de Paris) illustrate its artistic influence. The 13th century labyrinth, now gone, and the narrative stained glass windows testify to its pedagogical and symbolic role in medieval Christianity.

Today, Reims Cathedral remains an active place of worship, seat of the Archdiocese, and an emblematic monument of French heritage. Its continuous restorations, such as that of the western facade completed in 2019, preserve its heritage while adapting to modern challenges. Its history, marked by destruction and rebirth, makes it a symbol of resilience and collective memory.

External links

Conditions of visit

  • Conditions de visite : Ouvert toute l'année
  • Equipment and Details

    • Guide
    • Restauration sur place