Reims Cathedral

Reims Cathedral
Cathedral of Our Lady of Reims
French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
Facade, looking northeast
Façade of the cathedral, looking northeast
Location within France
Location within France
Reims Cathedral
Location in France
49°15′14″N 4°2′3″E / 49.25389°N 4.03417°E / 49.25389; 4.03417
LocationPlace du Cardinal Luçon, 51100
Reims
CountryFrance
DenominationRoman Catholic
Websitewww.cathedrale-reims.com
History
StatusCathedral
DedicationOur Lady of Reims
Associated peopleClovis I
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architect(s)Jean d'Orbais
Jean-le-Loup
Gaucher of Reims
Bernard de Soissons
Architectural typeChurch
StyleHigh Gothic
Years built1211–1345
Groundbreaking1211 (1211)
Completed1275 (1275)
Specifications
Length149.17 m (489.4 ft)
Floor area6,650 m2 (71,600 sq ft)
Number of towers2
Tower height81 m (266 ft)
Bells2 (in south tower)
Administration
ArchdioceseReims (Seat)
Clergy
ArchbishopÉric de Moulins-Beaufort
Priest in chargeJean-Pierre Laurent
Part ofCathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Rémi and Palace of Tau, Reims
CriteriaCultural: i, ii, vi
Reference601-001
Inscription1991 (15th Session)
Official nameCathédrale Notre-Dame
Designated1862, 1920[1]

Notre-Dame de Reims (/ˌnɒtrə ˈdɑːm, ˌntrə ˈdm, ˌntrə ˈdɑːm/;[2][3][4] French: [nɔtʁə dam ʁɛ̃s] ; meaning "Our Lady of Reims"),[a] known in English as Reims Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the French city of the same name, the archiepiscopal see of the Archdiocese of Reims. The cathedral was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was the traditional location for the coronation of the kings of France. Reims Cathedral is considered to be one of the most important pieces of Gothic architecture.[5] The cathedral, a major tourist destination, receives about one million visitors annually.[6] It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.[7]

The cathedral church is thought to have been founded by the bishop Nicasius in the early 5th century. Clovis was baptized a Christian here by Saint Remigius, the bishop of Reims, about a century later. He was the first Frankish king to receive this sacrament. Construction of the present Reims Cathedral began in the 13th century and concluded in the 14th century. A prominent example of High Gothic architecture, it was built to replace an earlier church destroyed by fire in 1210. Although little damaged during the French Revolution, the present cathedral saw extensive restoration in the 19th century. It was severely damaged during World War I and the church was again restored in the 20th century.

Since the 1905 law on the separation of church and state, the cathedral has been owned by the French state, while the Catholic church has an agreement for its exclusive use. The French state pays for its restoration and upkeep.[7]


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