The Story of Notre Dame de Reims

By | June 24, 2019

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Notre Dame de Reims, Reims, France. Source: (gettyimages.com)

The fire at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris in the spring of 2019 shocked people around the world. Centuries of history, priceless art, and countless religious artifacts were damaged, and without the bravery of the Parisian firefighters, the destruction could have been total. Notre Dame has a long road ahead, but this is not the first time the French people have been faced with such an ambitious restoration project. It's not even the first Notre Dame to be nearly destroyed.

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Historic image of Notre Dame de Reims. Source: (gettyimages.com)

Notre Dame de Reims

In Reims, a stately French city about 90 miles northeast of Paris, the town’s historic center is dominated by one of the most famous and historically significant cathedrals in all of Europe. Notre Dame de Reims, built in the 13th century, was the historical coronation venue for the French monarchy. From its completion in 1275 until the end of the monarchy in 1789, almost all of France’s sovereigns were crowned within its walls. The rest presumably had their parties at Chuck E. Cheese.

The massive gothic cathedral towers over the charming town below. Its gothic façade and famous twin belfries rise nearly as tall as New York’s famed Flatiron Building, and with a floor area greater than 70,000 square feet, the interior is large enough to contain an entire football field. The exterior is adorned with intricate carvings, statuary, and gargoyles, and the stone interior is illuminated with light from exquisite rose widows and stained glass panels, so maybe don’t actually try to play football in there.