This is my second visit to Our Lady of Reims Cathedral and I was impressed as I was the first time.
This cathedral replaces a much older church, which was the site where Clovis, the first King of France was baptized and crowned in AD 496. Before that, that original structure had been erected on the site of some Roman baths.
On July 6, 1210 the cathedral was damaged by fire and reconstruction stated shortly there after. The 1216 records show the acquisition of land to the west of the site, which indicated space for a much larger replacement Cathedral.
In 1233 a long-running dispute between the Cathedral chapter and the townsfolk regarding taxation issues and legal jurisdiction ended in an open revolt. Several clerics were killed or injured during the violence and the entire cathedral chapter fled the city, leaving the church in interdict. With that it effectively banned all public worship and sacraments for the next three years. Following mediation by the King and the Pope, the interdict was lifted and the clergy returned.
The towers which stand 81 metres tall were originally designed to rise 120 metres. The south tower holds just two great bells, with one of them weighing more than 10,000 kilograms. The interior of the Cathedral is 138.75 metres long and 30 metres wide in the nave and 38 metres high in the centre.
During the Hundred Years' War the Cathedral and Reims fell into English hands and was held until 1429 when it was liberated by Jeanne d' Arc. This allowed the Dauphin Charles to be crowned King.
German shellfire during World War1 destroyed important parts of the Cathedral. Many of the medieval stained glass windows were damaged or destroyed. The high windows were patiently reconstructed others were replaced with a more modern theme. The boldness in colour of Marc Chagall and the softer tones of Brigit Simon have added to the collection of stained glass.
The smiling angel was damaged during World War 1, when during artillery fire a shell came down and decapitated the angel. Citizens picked-up the pieces and the smiling angel was restored to guard the entrance of the Cathedral.
In 2011, the city of Reims celebrated the Cathedral's 800th anniversary.
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