Notre Dame de Reims
It’s not uncommon for cities in France to have more than one church or even more than one cathedral. In fact, we sort of expect to see different sizes each with their own amazing features. It is always humbling when we realize the time frame in which they were built. We are not talking about the last 50 years, either.
Some have weathered well. Others, not so much. Some were casualties of a world war or some group fighting against another one. Still, some remain almost unblemished.
We visited tiny towns with huge churches whose steeples dominated their skylines. Other cities and their skylines were dotted with various sizes of steeples, turrets, and rising columns full of stained glass.
We had been visiting several churches and cathedrals in different cities and towns in the Champagne area of France. We didn’t need to travel far to find different architecture, yet similar looks.
One, in particular, captured our hearts. Notre Dame de Reims…
This cathedral has been an important part of French history. It’s also classified by UNESCO as a world heritage site. But, that’s not all we loved about it.
First a little history…
- It was built between 1211 and 1275
- For 800 years it is where the kings of France were crowned, 25 of them
- It is the second cathedral, after Chartes, with the largest number of statues and statuettes. If you want, you can count 2,300 of them.
- The two impressive rose windows are imposing…and stunning as the light shines through them
- There are original stained-glass windows from the 13th Century and ones from as recent as 2015
- 13th Century Gothic architecture is mixed with more recent architecture due to bombings and destruction during both World Wars
Okay, many cathedrals have their own history. This one just happens to have more than others.
As are many cathedrals, this one was huge inside. How huge?
- Total length of the cathedral is 500 feet. Notre Dame de Paris is 425 feet long.
- Height in the nave is 125 feet
- Towers are almost 270 feet tall
- The outside spire is about 290 feet
- Inside the total floor area is close to 22,000 square feet
- Diameter of the west front Rose Window is 41 feet
- Total square feet of windows is 12,800 square feet
No wonder it took us over an hour just to walk around and admire the spectacular interior.
Some favorites during our visit…
- Three stained glass windows in the axial chapel that were produced in 1974 by Marc Chagall
- The first Chagall window includes the theme of the Tree of Jesse
- The central Chagall window is the sacrifice of Isaac
- The right Chagall window includes some of the great times in Reims history, including the baptism of Clovis and the coronation of Saint Louis and Charles VII
- We often see one magnificent rose window. Here, there are two. Looking up, each one did not seem to be over 40 feet across.
- Light streaming in through all the windows showcased this magnificent cathedral, giving us a sense of peace
If you find yourself in or near Reims, France, this is definitely worth the time to visit. Its beauty is hard to match.