One may well argue that Gothic cathedrals represent the very apex of the Western European architectural/artistic ethic. They represent remarkable achievements in harmony, natural symbolism and august grace, elements that are unmatched for their ethereal beauty. Reims Cathedral, reconstructed in the 13th century, is particularly notable for numerous reasons, not least being that it integrates several different architectural styles. The massive structure, which measures some 489 feet in length, exhibits a high degree of design unity despite its tremendous interior length, twin towers, chevet housing five chapels and extensive use of nearly identical window styles. In terms of scale, “the scale at Reims is indicated by the load-bearing elements as they appear at the different levels in the central nave, and…are reprised in the side aisles” (Recht, 138). In terms of sheer size, artistic ambition and religious inspiration, Reims stands as a magnificent icon of the French Gothic genius.
Reims Cathedral is replete with symbolism in architecture and art work. There is a natural seamlessness between the cathedral’s superstructure and the overwhelming symbolic detail of its statuary, sculptures and windows. Angelic statuary is everywhere on the cathedral’s exterior. Together, they stand guard, as it were, over the temple of Our Lady of Reims. On the inside, Reims has long been renowned as site of the remains of six saints. Among them is a statue of Pope Callixtus I, which stands near the cathedral in the northern transept . Such a representation was an indication of the presence of a saint’s remains. The remains of Merovingian and Carolingian kings at Reims, which is perhaps most famous as the coronation church of the French monarchy. One of the unique aspects of Reims Cathedral is its representation of many of these kings, which are not portrayed in a row, or lineup of statuary, but are taken individually, with distinctive poses and features. On the exterior façade is portrayed the coronation of King Clovis, and royal statuary is a feature at the cathedral’s porches. Perhaps most importantly, Mary is portrayed symbolically as the cathedral’s official matron at its main entryway.
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"Reims Cathedral: Blending the Secular and Religious".
Reims’ statuary and architecture is a direct reflection of its history, which parallels that of France itself. The saints and kings who have made the cathedral such an important piece of “living history” are in evidence throughout. Reims’ matron and one of the saints who was central to its founding are commemorated in two of the four individual cathedrals within the overall structure, including the Cathedral of Notre Dame, and the basilica of Saint Remi. According to UNESCO, which has named the cathedral’s four churches as world heritage sites, Reims Cathedral is unique in France for having symbolized the “marriage” between the French monarchy and the Catholic church. “The cathedral, the Archepiscopal Palace, and the old Abbey of Saint-Remi are directly linked to the history of the French monarchy, and hence to that of France in general” (UNESCO, 2013). Reims’ history reaches back to the very foundation of the ancient Frankish kingdom, having been the site of Clovis’ baptism in the late 5th century. The most famous member of the Frankish royalty, Charlemagne, is also represented at Reims, where an amulet that belonged to him is housed.
The history of Reims Cathedral is rich with profoundly important French historical figures, like Charlemagne, Clovis, St. Remi and countless others. As such, Reims was for centuries the single most important religious edifice in France. “A cathedral had a responsibility to be a place of evident holiness and many achieved this by the lavish spectacle of their buildings and worship” (Sekules 90). This was the raison d’etre of Reims Cathedral, upon which the Coronation of the Virgin is superimposed on the west façade (90). Religious narratives are also present on one of Reims’ most unique features, the stained-glass windows, which are set above each tympanum (91). This is central to another of Reims’ cutting-edge features, its emphasis on natural light, which accentuates the rose-colored windows and other openings. It is this tendency toward architectural trend-setting that made Reims Cathedral the pre-eminent religious-political structure in Western Europe.
In many ways, the architects who designed Reims Cathedral (four of whom are named/commemorated inside), created the architectural language that led to the fruition of the Gothic form. Reims was seminal in many other ways as well, having been the archetypal regional/political/religious center, a focal point for much of the history that came to define modern France. But more than that, in Reims can be found much of the history of the melding that took place between the secular and the religious in the development of Western Europe culture. In this it is impossible to separate Reims Cathedral, as an icon of the Catholic faith in Europe, from the grandeur and authority of the French monarchy, from Frankish times down to the revolutionary period.
- “Evaluation des Organisations Consultative.” UNESCO World Heritage List, UNESCO. whc.unesco.org, 1990.
- Recht, Roland. Believing and Seeing: The Art of Gothic Cathedrals. Chicago, IL: Univ. of
Chicago Press, 2008. - Sekules, Veronica. Oxford History of Art. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
