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Source of this
text found Online on 2011
The list of
French kings who were crowned in the cathedral
of Reims is long. With few exceptions, almost
all the monarchs of France, were crowned and
anointed, in Notre-Dame de Reims,
including Charles VII, who in 1429 was led by
"Joan of Arc" in front of the
altar steps. Louis XIV the sun king was also
amongst the princes of France to be crowned in
this beautiful Cathedral.
No church in France has for centuries
played such an important role in the history of
France as the Reims Cathedral, whose cornerstone
was laid 800 years ago, in May 1211. An event
which the city of the Champagne cellars, is
going to celebrate with many events until the
end of October 2011
The importance of the Gothic building, built
1211-1516, goes far beyond its borders. "The
cathedral has strong symbolic value, even for Europe,"said the mayor of the city, Adeline
Hazan, alluding to recent history. On 8 July
1962 it celebrated in the coronation church, the
Franco-German reconciliation. At the
reconciliation meeting between Chancellor Konrad
Adenauer and President Charles de Gaulle, a huge
commemorative plaque in front of the west
facade of the cathedral, reminiscent of that
important occasion.
Reims was devastated in World War II by German
artillery and air attacks about 60 percent,
while the cathedral was heavily damaged, many of
the approximately 2,300 sculptures were
destroyed and the wooden roof of the 15th
Century completely destroyed. President "Raymond Poincaré"
declared Reims to "martyr city" in
which on 7 May 1945, the surrender of German
forces was signed.
text & photos by Linda Compagnoni
During one of my visits to France, I had the
great pleasure to join the people of Reims,
celebrating the 800 hundredth anniversary of Reims
Cathedral in 2011. Frédérique my friend, was born in this
magnificent city, where the Kings of France were
crowned. She proudly drove me almost in front of
the church (be honest dear friend, with me, luck
is always on our site to find a parking lot ☺)
to watch one of the highlights on that evening
a
sound and light show
in
full color
dynamics,
which
illuminated the
facade
of
the
cathedral
at nightfall.
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let me introduce
you to an amazing link
found online, about the
most beautiful city REIMS, I have come to
love just like it's famous sister in
Paris. |
It was an amazing spectacle, something
which went under the skin so to say. The
audience like us, was overwhelmned by the sheer
beauty of this great performance which lasted
about 20 minutes. Should some of you have the
possibility to go to Reims, please do not miss it -
it is too marvelous. I swear when I saw the
immaginary flags go up, I whispered to
Frédérique: "Can you see them? Can see Charles
VII with Jeanne d'Arc and our Chevaliers walk
with their head held high, into the Cathedral?"
Should some of my photos be a
bit fuzzy, I like to appologize. We took them
with our cell phones and even though it was
almost full moon - it was not an easy task !
Some other photos you see here, I took on one of my
earlier visits to Reims.
I
confess I adore Reims smiling angel and I
imagine our Joan of Arc must have seem him too when she entered the Cathedral for
the crowning of the future French King Charles VII. |
