On the list of Reims tourist attractions, next to the plethora of famously acclaimed champagne distilleries, is the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims. The Gothic masterpiece is known as the traditional coronation site of the kings of France, and is hailed for its rich body of sculpture. My first encounter with the Cathedral was on my first day of arrival, when my host mother family generously offered to give me a short driving tour of the city. The Notre Dame Cathedral of Reims was our first stop, where I was instantly stunned by the sheer size of structure. Julliette, my host sister, told me how most people are often surprised to hear how the Reims Cathedral is bigger than the one in Paris.
The exterior of the Cathedral is the epitome of royalty. Along the front façade and on the sides, are beautifully decorated sculpted figures ranging from French royalty to biblical figures. In the center is a colorful rose window framed by an arch, which draws the viewer in. I also couldn’t help but notice the buttresses flanked on either side of the Cathedral, for they are also beautifully decorative and representative of the Cathedrals grandeur. One interesting detail my host mother pointed out to me was the Smiling Angel statue, which looked as though it was looking down at us as we walked into the Cathedral. The Smiling Angel is the most beloved of the Cathedral’s statues, and has become a symbol of the place
When I first stepped inside the Cathedral the gaping space from the floor to the ceiling was unlike any architectural formation I have witnessed. The first thing which caught my eye were the stained-glass windows which line the Cathedrals walls and apse. The windows are made up of a mix of 13th and 20th century styles, for after the First World War most of the windows were destroyed. Therefore, the more modern styled windows were a part of a restoration project which is still underway today. As I walked down the side of the aisles I read about the history of the Cathedral and how it was originally the seat of the Archbishop of Reims, and was the coronation site of Frances first King, Clovis.
Every day of the week I get the privilege to bike past the architectural masterpiece, or chef-d'œuvre as the French would say, on my way to classes. In any weather condition, it is impossible not to stop and admire the building for just a few seconds, and ponder the thought of how individuals in Medieval time were able to build such a structure with the tools they had. For these reasons the Notre Dame Cathedral is the number one thing I think of whenever I think of the city of Reims, and it is the first place I show to my guests who are in town visiting for the weekend.
