The Reims Cathedral was constructed between 1211-1345 in the Gothic architectural style. It was commissioned by the Catholic Church to honor the Virgin Mary. Some key facts: - Construction began under Jean d'Orbais and continued under successive architects until completion. - It has hosted numerous French royal coronations, commemorating the legend of Clovis I's baptism. - The interior features Gothic architectural elements like ribbed vaulting and flying buttresses, and houses important stained glass. - It sustained damage during World Wars I and II but has since been restored. A recent fire caused roof damage but relics were mostly saved.

1. REIMS
CATHEDRAL
BY
Rajay Bajracharya
PRESENTATION ON CATHEDRAL DE REIMS By 075BAR0381

2. REIMS CATHEDRAL
IN FRENCH: CATHÉDRALE NOTRE-DAME DE REIMS
LOCATION: PLACE DU CARDINAL LUÇON, 51100 ,REIMS, FRANCE
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History
• Constructed during 1211-1345
• Architecture style being symbolizing high Gothic period of the French.
• Designed by Architects
Jean d'Orbais, Jean-le-Loup, Gaucher of Reims, Bernard de Soissons
• Commissioned by the Holy Catholic Church in honour of the Virgin Mary
Fig: The Labyrinth of the Reims Cathedral was a church labyrinth
installed on the floor of the nave of the Reims Cathedral.

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• (Top right) : Jean Orbais (1211-1231) made
the plans of the cathedral and began the
apse.
• (Top left) : Jean-le-Loup [fr] (1231-1247)
began the northern portals.
• (Bottom left) : Gaucher de Reims [fr] (1247-
1255) began the arches and portals on the
western façade.
• (Bottom right) : Bernard de Soissons (1255-
1290) made five vaults of the nave and the
great rosace.
The people in the corners of the labyrinth are successive master
masons of the cathedral:

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Details
• According to Flodard, Saint Nicasius founded the first church on the site of
the current cathedral at the beginning of the 5th century, probably in
401, on the site of a Gallo-Roman bath.
• The Church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
• The Reims church is measured to be approximately 20 m (66 ft) by 55 m
(180 ft).
• After final construction of the two bell towers its height was measured to
be 82m tall.
• Floor area of 71000 ft2

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How arched stone walls influenced Reims

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Since the church was built during Romanesque
period, we see the typical 3 door façade.
These doors are called portals and each door
enters into a different aisle of the church and
are called the naves.
Western Façade
Portals

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Gallery Of Kings

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• The cathedral's exterior glorifies royalty. In the center of the front facade and
above the rose window is the Gallery of Kings, composed of 56 statues with a
height of 4.5 meters (15 ft), with Clovis I in the center mid-baptism, Clotilde to
his right, and Saint Remigius to his left.
• Above the choir rises an elegant lead-covered timber bell tower that is 18 m
(about 59 feet) tall, reconstructed in the 15th century and in the 1920s. The
total exterior length is 149.17 meters and its surface area is 6,650 square
meters.
Exterior

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Legend
• The legend has it that during the baptism
of King Clovis , the ruler of the Franks,
The oil required for the coronation was
received by the bishop from a Dove sent
by God.

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Legend
• This legend is specially important
because since this Cathedral is where
the coronations of Kings take place.
Reims Cathedral is where Kings get
their divine inspirations from, which
legitimizes their rule over their
subjects.

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Central Doorway

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Large Jamb Sculptures

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Visitation
Virgin
Mary
Elizabeth
Masons and The folklore
• The Annunciation and Visitation
figures were made by different
Masons during different periods as
shown by the subtle nature of the
curves on their clothes.
• Thus depicting the true large scale
nature of the cathedral and thus the
religious cause of it .

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Structure
• The structure of the
Cathedral consists of long
pillars creating over hanging
arches supported by
buttresses and we can see
how the architects have
decorated even the structural
aspects with refined Jamb
sculpture of Virgin Mary
holding Christ.

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Interior

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Side Aisle
Interior

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Clerestory
Triforium
Nave Arcade
Interior Elevation
• The interior consists of a 3 sections
in which the bottom is a nave
arcade with series of high arches
typical of the high Gothic period .
• Above that is a Triforium series of
arches .
• At the top we have the Clerestory
with large windows that symbolises
the openness of light of God in the
Catholic times.

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Clerestory

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The effect of the Clerestory letting light in.

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Flying Buttresses
• The French knew that such a massive
building could not support itself on
piers alone so they added flying
buttresses to not only support the load
but also allow light to pass in naturally.

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Flying Buttresses and the Roof Support

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The Roof
• The roof was said to be made out of 13000 trees in the 13th century.

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Groin Vaults
A groin vault or groined vault is produced by the
intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults.

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Ribbing
• The nave of the church is
divided into webs by a
frame work of diagonal
arched ribs.
• Gothic architects used
stones that were lighter for
that in between spaces for
ribbing .

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Foliage Leaves

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Use of Stained Glass

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After the
destruction,
Modern artists
most notably
Marc Chagall
were
commissioned to
redesign the
church glasses
that were
destroyed during
the war.

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Drawings of Reims Cathedral

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Modifications over Time
• In 1712, the angel of the bell tower was overthrown by a hurricane, he was
restored the same year.
• In 1744, destruction of the rood screen and the fences of the choir, by the canons,
with a view to "embellishments" and to meet the demands of the Council of Trent.
• In 1779, abolition, by the canons, of the labyrinth.
• During the Revolution, the cathedral transformed into a temple of reason, was
pillaged. The crest of fleur-de-lis and shamrock from the ridge is removed
(reminder of the old regime). The canopy, above the Virgin of the pier of the central
portal is destroyed, the sculptures and inscriptions of the 13th century of the lintel
are erased and replaced by a revolutionary inscription.

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Modifications over Time
• In the 19th century, restorations, replacements and creations were carried out on
the building by several architects, including Viollet-le-Duc. They relate mainly to the
high galleries of the nave and the apse, the large rose and the towers.
• From September 19, 1914 the cathedral was taken under fire from German
bombardments, the roof was ablaze, the stained glass windows burst, the statues
were mutilated
• From 1919 restoration work began led by Henri Deneux, the cathedral was
reopened for worship in 1938.
• Since then, several restoration campaigns have healed the wounds of war and
environmental aggressions.

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Events
• In 1991, classification of the cathedral on the UNESCO world heritage list.
• On September 22, 1996, visit of Pope John Paul II, on the occasion of the 1,500th
anniversary of the baptism of Clovis by Saint Remi.
• Saturday, October 8, 2016 celebration of the 1,200th anniversary of the coronation
of Louis the Pious in the cathedral of Reims.

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The Recent fire
• The recent fire outbreak in Paris
caused the roof to completely burn.
• Its spire to fall.
• However 80% of the relics have
been saved.
• Reconstruction is on going with the
president of France claiming to have
it completely restored within the
coming 5 years.

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THANK YOU