Centre des monuments nationaux

Come and discover the towers of Reims Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Together with the neighbouring Tau palace, they are integrally bound up with the coronations of the Kings of France.

Visiting the towers of Reims Cathedral 

• Harmonious architecture. First built in the 13th century but only completed in the 15th, the towers, which stand over 80 metres tall, nevertheless display great architectural unity.

• Outstanding statues. Reims Cathedral has 2,300 statues, a figure only surpassed in Europe by Chartres Cathedral. In particular the Ange au Sourire (the Smiling Angel) may be admired on the left portal, and the middle of the Gallery of the Kings has a statue of the baptism of Clovis, the first Christian King of France, by Saint Rémi, the bishop of Reims. Some of the sculpted decorations, and notably the 15th-century rood screen, are housed in the Tau palace. 

• The coronation cathedral (1212-1300). Starting with Henri I in 1027, French kings were crowned in Reims in memory of Clovis. The cathedral had to be worthy of this lineage. The nave and vaulting are of unprecedented scale, and gave birth to the Reims Flamboyant Gothic style which was a source of inspiration throughout Europe. The contemporary stained glass at the end of the choir was created by Chagall in 1974.

Understanding the towers of Reims Cathedral 

• A ‘martyred' cathedral. The towers were extensively damaged during the First World War and required careful restoration.