By: Chiara Mancuso

Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims

The Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims is located outside of Paris in Reims, France.

Archbishop Samson de Mauvoisn is credited with the commissioning of the first Gothic structure on the site.

The construction of the cathedral was said to have begun in 1211 A.D. The whole building process took over 3 centuries and ended around 1516 A.D.

In fact, it was never completely finished because in 1481, a destructive fire damaged the framework of the roof.

History~ A Gothic Cathedral

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Famous Feature

As you can see, the use of pointed arches was an essential part in Gothic Architecture. Not only was it more stable than rounded ones, but it allowed light to shine through its stained glass windows. This cathedral was also one of the first to use flying buttresses. Even though the arches were strong, it needed support to stand up throughout time. This is a famous feature of the Notre Dame Cathedral of Reims.

Originally, there was a church built on the site of the cathedral today in the 5th century. Later in the 9th century, it was rebuilt to make it larger. However, around the year of 1210, a fire completely wiped out the structure.

Then, they started to build the cathedral in Gothic style in 1211. This was the beginning of the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims as we know it today.

Unfortunately, it was never able to be finished because a fire in 1481 ruined the framework of the roof. The builders decided to give up on trying to finish it around 1516.

Story~ Building a Gothic Cathedral

There were 29 French Kings crowned at the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims.

The materials used to build the cathedral were limestone, glass, wood, iron, and paint.

This cathedral is famous for its many statues and monuments.

The highest point of the cathedral reaches 285 feet!

Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims has numerous, beautiful stained glass windows that told stories and major events of Jesus Christ.

Fun Facts

Decrock, Bruno. "Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims, the Gothic Art Masterpiece." Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims, the Gothic Art Masterpiece. Trans. Karen Wanamaker Le Chanu. Direction Régionale Des Affaires Culturelles De Champagne-Ardenne, Apr. 2008. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. <http://www.reims-cathedral.culture.fr/>.

"Famous Things, People and Events." Famous Things, People and Events. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. <http://famous101.com/famous-gothic-cathedrals>.

Clark, William W. Medieval Cathedrals. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.

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