Reims Cathedral, Architecture

Reims Cathedral is one of the big three classic high Gothic cathedrals, along with Chartres and Amiens. I'd add Bourges, but some wouldn't since it's not cruciform. There has been much restoration at Reims, the usual Revolution damage, but worse, WWI. Still, it compares very favorably with Amiens and Chartres, particularly the new, cleaned-up Chartres. Reims is large and high, has plenty of 13th century glass where you can see it without a telescope, great rose windows all over, and more sculpture than the others. Plus, thanks to the Rockefellers, Reims is the place where you can go up into the ceiling/roof and see a crucial part of cathedral building you can scarcely see anywhere else. Consequently, it's going to take me four posts to do Reims!

Roman arch at Reims; we camped at the city's downtown hostel, which also provides
a dozen or so places in its aire de camping cars; note: to get into the aire, you have
to go into the hostel office and get the gate pass code

West facade; fun jamb sculptures, more rose windows than the
others

Nave: BIG church; though there are several English cathedrals we really like--
particularly Wells--it's great to be back in these huge, high structures and to
marvel at them

Elevation: single aisle, blind triforium, big clerestory lancets
surmounted by roundels

Crossing

Some of the pier/column work

Aisle view, looking to one of the several west
rose windows

Of course this is not the first cathedral or church to stand on this spot; here, in
the nave, is the place where Bishop Remi is said to have baptized Clovis, king
of the Franks, 6th century, thus bringing all the Franks over to Christianity ("take
me to your leader")

Outside, looking up one of the great towers

A bit of the buttressing

Bow view; a truly beautiful Gothic cathedral

We were not the only pilgrims there that day...in the "92 in
the shade" heat