Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of

Marne Marne can refer to: Places France *Marne (river), a tributary of the Seine *Marne (department), a département in northeastern France named after the river * La Marne, a commune in western France *Marne, a legislative constituency (France) Nethe ...

, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the

Vesle The Vesle () is the river on which the city of Reims stands. It is a fourth order river of France and a left-bank tributary of the Aisne. It is long, and rises in the ''département'' of Marne through which it flows most of its course. Geogra ...

river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by the

Gauls The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They s ...

, Reims became a major city in the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediter ...

. Reims later played a prominent ceremonial role in French monarchical history as the traditional site of the coronation of the kings of France. The royal

anointing Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body. By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or ot ...

was performed at the

Cathedral of Reims , image = Reims Kathedrale.jpg , imagealt = Facade, looking northeast , caption = Façade of the cathedral, looking northeast , pushpin map = France , pushpin map alt = Location within France , ...

, which housed the

Holy Ampulla The Holy Ampulla or Holy Ampoule (''Sainte Ampoule'' in French) was a glass vial which, from its first recorded use by Pope Innocent II for the anointing of Louis VII in 1131 to the coronation of Louis XVI in 1774, held the chrism or anointing o ...

chrism Chrism, also called myrrh, ''myron'', holy anointing oil, and consecrated oil, is a consecrated oil used in the Anglican, Assyrian, Catholic, Nordic Lutheran, Old Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Latter Day Saint churches in th ...

allegedly brought by a white dove at the baptism of Frankish king Clovis I in 496. For this reason, Reims is often referred to in French as ("the Coronation City"). Reims is recognized for the diversity of its heritage, ranging from Romanesque to Art-déco.

Reims Cathedral , image = Reims Kathedrale.jpg , imagealt = Facade, looking northeast , caption = Façade of the cathedral, looking northeast , pushpin map = France , pushpin map alt = Location within France , ...

, the adjacent

Palace of Tau The Palace of Tau (french: Palais du Tau) in Reims, France, was the palace of the Archbishop of Reims. It is associated with the kings of France, whose coronation was held in the nearby cathedral of Notre-Dame de Reims and the following coronat ...

, and the

Abbey of Saint-Remi An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns. The conc ...

were listed together as a

UNESCO World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

in 1991 because of their outstanding Romanesque and Gothic architecture and their historical importance to the French monarchy. Reims also lies on the northern edge of the

Champagne wine region The wine region within the historical province of Champagne in the northeast of France is best known for the production of champagne, the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name. EU law and the laws of most countries reserve the term " ...

and is linked to its production and export.

History

Before the Roman conquest of northern

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...

, Reims had served as the

Remi The Remi (Gaulish: ''Rēmi'', 'the first, the princes') were a Belgic tribe dwelling in the Aisne, Vesle and Suippe river valleys during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Their territory roughly corresponded the modern Marne and Ardennes and p ...

tribe's capital, founded circa 80 BC. In the course of

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, ...

conquest of Gaul The Gallic Wars were waged between 58 and 50 BC by the Roman general Julius Caesar against the peoples of Gaul (present-day France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland). Gallic, Germanic, and British tribes fought to defend their homel ...

(58–51 BC), the Remi allied themselves with the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

, and by their fidelity throughout the various Gallic insurrections secured the special favour of the imperial power. At its height in Roman times the city had a population in the range of 30,000–50,000 or perhaps up to 100,000. Reims was first called in

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

, which is hypothesized to derive from a

Gaulish Gaulish was an ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of Continental Europe before and during the period of the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language of the Celts of Gaul (now France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switze ...

name meaning "Door of Cortoro-". The city later took its name from the

tribe ( or ). The modern French name is derived from the accusative case of the latter, . Christianity had become established in the city by 260, at which period Saint

Sixtus of Reims Saint Sixtus of Reims (french: Sixte de Reims) (died c. 300) is considered the first bishop of Reims.Matthew Bunson, Margaret Bunson, Stephen Bunson, ''Our Sunday Visitor's encyclopedia of saints'' (Our Sunday Visitor Publishing, 2003), 762. Accor ...

founded the

Diocese of Reims The Archdiocese of Reims (traditionally spelt "Rheims" in English) ( la, Archidiœcesis Remensis; French: ''Archidiocèse de Reims'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastic territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. Erected as a diocese ...

(which would be elevated to an archdiocese around 750). The consul

Jovinus :''Jovinus is a Roman cognomen, most often used for a 5th-century Roman usurper emperor. This article is about the Roman usurper. For the saint, see Saint Jovinus. For the Frankish duke, see Jovinus of Provence.'' For the 4th century Roman genera ...

, an influential supporter of the new faith, repelled the Alamanni who invaded

Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, ...

in 336; but the

Vandals The Vandals were a Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century. The Vandals migrated to the area betw ...

captured the city in 406 and slew Bishop Nicasius; and in 451 Attila the Hun put Reims to fire and sword. St Remy Bishop of Rheims begging of Clovis the restitution of the Sacred Vase taken by the Franks in the Pillage of Soissons

St Remy Bishop of Rheims begging of Clovis the restitution of the Sacred Vase taken by the Franks in the Pillage of Soissons

In 496—ten years after Clovis, King of the Salian Franks, won his victory at

Soissons Soissons () is a commune in the northern French department of Aisne, in the region of Hauts-de-France. Located on the river Aisne, about northeast of Paris, it is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital o ...

(486)— Remigius, the bishop of Reims, baptized him using the oil of the sacred phial–purportedly brought from heaven by a dove for the baptism of Clovis and subsequently preserved in the

. For centuries the events at the crowning of Clovis I became a symbol used by the monarchy to claim the divine right to rule. Meetings of Pope Stephen II (752–757) with Pepin the Short, and of Pope Leo III (795–816) with

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...

(died 814), took place at Reims; and here

Pope Stephen IV Pope Stephen IV ( la, Stephanus IV; c. 770 – 24 January 817) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from June 816 to his death.Louis the Debonnaire in 816. King Louis IV gave the city and countship of Reims to the archbishop Artaldus in 940. King Louis VII (reigned 1137–1180) gave the title of duke and peer to William of Champagne, archbishop from 1176 to 1202, and the archbishops of Reims took precedence over the other ecclesiastical

peers of the realm A peer of the realm is a member of the highest aristocratic social order outside the ruling dynasty of the kingdom. Notable examples are: * a member of the peerages in the United Kingdom, who is a hereditary peer or a life peer * a member of the ...

. By the 10th century, Reims had become a centre of intellectual culture. Archbishop Adalberon (in office 969 to 988), seconded by the monk Gerbert (afterwards (from 999 to 1003)

Pope Silvester II Pope Sylvester II ( – 12 May 1003), originally known as Gerbert of Aurillac, was a French-born scholar and teacher who served as the bishop of Rome and ruled the Papal States from 999 to his death. He endorsed and promoted study of Arab and Gre ...

), founded schools which taught the classical "

liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term '' art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically th ...

". (Adalberon also played a leading role in the dynastic revolution which elevated the Capetian dynasty in the place of the Carolingians.) Calice du sacre Tau

The archbishops held the important prerogative of the consecration of the kings of France – a privilege which they exercised (except in a few cases) from the time of Philippe II Augustus (anointed 1179, reigned 1180–1223) to that of

Charles X Charles X (born Charles Philippe, Count of Artois; 9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836) was King of France from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. An uncle of the uncrowned Louis XVII and younger brother to reigning kings Louis XVI and Lou ...

(anointed 1825). The

, built between 1498 and 1509 and partly rebuilt in 1675, would later serve as the Archbishop's palace and as the residence of the kings of France on the occasion of their coronations, with royal banquets taking place in the ''Salle du Tau''. Ingres coronation charles vii

Louis VII granted the city a communal charter in 1139. The

Treaty of Troyes The Treaty of Troyes was an agreement that King Henry V of England and his heirs would inherit the French throne upon the death of King Charles VI of France. It was formally signed in the French city of Troyes on 21 May 1420 in the aftermath of ...

(1420) ceded it to the English, who had made a futile attempt to take it by siege in 1360; but French patriots expelled them on the approach of

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronat ...

, who in 1429 had Charles VII consecrated in the cathedral.

Louis XI Louis XI (3 July 1423 – 30 August 1483), called "Louis the Prudent" (french: le Prudent), was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII. Louis entered into open rebellion against his father in a short-lived revol ...

cruelly suppressed a revolt at Reims, caused in 1461 by the

salt tax A salt tax refers to the direct taxation of salt, usually levied proportionately to the volume of salt purchased. The taxation of salt dates as far back as 300BC, as salt has been a valuable good used for gifts and religious offerings since 6050B ...

. During the

French Wars of Religion The French Wars of Religion is the term which is used in reference to a period of civil war between French Catholics and Protestants, commonly called Huguenots, which lasted from 1562 to 1598. According to estimates, between two and four mi ...

the city sided with the Catholic League (1585), but submitted to King

Henri IV Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarc ...

after the battle of Ivry (1590). At about the same time, the English College had been "at Reims for some years." The city was stricken with plague in 1635, and again in 1668, followed by an epidemic of typhus in 1693–1694. The construction of the Hôtel de Ville dates back to the same century. The Place Royale was built in the 18th century. Some of the 1792

September Massacres The September Massacres were a series of killings of prisoners in Paris that occurred in 1792, from Sunday, 2 September until Thursday, 6 September, during the French Revolution. Between 1,176 and 1,614 people were killed by '' fédérés'', gu ...

took place in Reims. In the invasions of the

War of the Sixth Coalition In the War of the Sixth Coalition (March 1813 – May 1814), sometimes known in Germany as the Wars of Liberation, a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, and a number of German States defeated F ...

in 1814, anti-Napoleonic allied armies captured and re-captured Reims. "In 1852, the

Eastern Railways The Eastern Railway (abbreviated ER) is among the 19 zones of the Indian Railways. Its headquarters is at Fairley Place, Kolkata and comprises four divisions: , , , and . Each division is headed by a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM). The name o ...

completed the Paris-Strasbourg main line with branch lines to Reims and Metz." In 1870–1871, during the Franco-Prussian War, the victorious Germans made it the seat of a governor-general and impoverished it with heavy requisitions. In 1874 the construction of a chain of detached

fort A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

s started in the vicinity, the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed Force ...

having selected Reims as one of the chief defences of the northern approaches to Paris. In the meantime, British inventor and manufacturer Isaac Holden had opened plants at Reims and Croix, which "by the 1870s ..were producing almost 12 million kilograms of combed wool a year ..and accounted for 27 percent of all the wool consumed by French industry." Aviatiker-Woche Reims 1909

On 30 October 1908,

Henri Farman Henri Farman (26 May 1874– 17 July 1958) was a British-French aviator and aircraft designer and manufacturer with his brother Maurice Farman. Before dedicating himself to aviation he gained fame as a sportsman, specifically in cycling and moto ...

made the first cross-country flight from Châlons to Reims. In August 1909 Reims hosted the first international

aviation meet A fly-in is a pre-arranged gathering of aircraft, pilots and passengers for recreational and social purposes. Fly-ins may be formally or informally organised, members of the public may or may not be invited, the gathering may be at an airport or ...

, the ''

Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne The ''Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne'' was an 8-day aviation meeting held near Reims in France in 1909, so-named because it was sponsored by the major local champagne growers. It is celebrated as the first international public flying ev ...

''. Major aviation personages such as

Glenn Curtiss Glenn Hammond Curtiss (May 21, 1878 – July 23, 1930) was an American aviation and motorcycling pioneer, and a founder of the U.S. aircraft industry. He began his career as a bicycle racer and builder before moving on to motorcycles. As early a ...

, Louis Blériot and

Louis Paulhan Isidore Auguste Marie Louis Paulhan (; 19 July 1883 – 10 February 1963), was a French aviator. He is known for winning the first ''Daily Mail'' aviation prize for the first flight between London and Manchester in 1910. Biography Paulhan was b ...

participated. France, Reims and its cathedral, 1916

Hostilities in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

greatly damaged the city.

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

bombardment and a subsequent fire in 1914 did severe damage to the cathedral. The ruined cathedral became one of the central images of anti-German propaganda produced in France during the war, which presented it, along with the ruins of the Ypres Cloth Hall and the University Library in Louvain, as evidence that German aggression targeted cultural landmarks of European civilization. Since the end of World War I, an international effort to restore the cathedral from the ruins has continued. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, the city suffered additional damage. On the morning of 7 May 1945, at 2:41, General Eisenhower and the Allies received the

unconditional surrender An unconditional surrender is a surrender in which no guarantees are given to the surrendering party. It is often demanded with the threat of complete destruction, extermination or annihilation. In modern times, unconditional surrenders most ofte ...

of the German

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...

in Reims. General Alfred Jodl, German Chief-of-Staff, signed the surrender at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (

SHAEF Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF; ) was the headquarters of the Commander of Allied forces in north west Europe, from late 1943 until the end of World War II. U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the commander in SHAEF ...

) as the representative for German President Karl Dönitz. The British statesman

Leslie Hore-Belisha Leslie Hore-Belisha, 1st Baron Hore-Belisha, PC (; 7 September 1893 – 16 February 1957) was a British Liberal, then National Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) and Cabinet Minister. He later joined the Conservative Party. He proved highly su ...

died of a cerebral haemorrhage while making a speech at the Hôtel de Ville in February 1957. File:Reims OSM 01.png, alt=, Map of Rheims File:Tombeau de Jovin Musée Saint-Remi 90208 01.jpg, alt=, Sarcophagus of Jovinus (

Musée Saint-Remi The Musée Saint-Remi is an archeology and art museum in Reims, France. The museum is housed in the former Abbey of Saint-Remi, founded in the sixth century and which had been keeping since 1099 the relics of Saint Remigius (the Bishop of Reims ...

) File:Clovis crop.jpg, alt=,

Master of Saint Giles The Master of Saint Giles (french: Maître de Saint-Gilles) was a Franco-Flemish painter active, probably in Paris, about 1500, working in a delicate Late Gothic manner, with rendering of textures and light and faithful depictions of actual int ...

, ''The Baptism of Clovis'' (detail), c. 1500 ( National Gallery of Art) File:Douai-Rheims New Testament (1582).jpg, alt=, The New Testament of the

Douay–Rheims Bible The Douay–Rheims Bible (, ), also known as the Douay–Rheims Version, Rheims–Douai Bible or Douai Bible, and abbreviated as D–R, DRB, and DRV, is a translation of the Bible from the Latin Vulgate into English made by member ...

was printed in Reims in 1582. File:Statue de Louis XV Place Royale Reims 03.jpg, alt=, Monument to King Louis XV of France, at the center of Place Royale File:(Top) - German officers sign unconditional surrender in Reims, France. (Bottom) - Allied force leaders at the signing. - NARA - 195337.jpg, alt=, German surrender of 7 May 1945 in Reims. Top: German officers sign

in Reims. Bottom: Allied force leaders at the signing.

Administration

Reims functions as a

subprefecture A subprefecture is an administrative division of a country that is below prefecture or province. Albania There are twelve Albanian counties or prefectures, each of which is divided into several districts, sometimes translated as subprefectures. ...

of the department of

, in the administrative

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...

Grand Est Grand Est (; gsw-FR, Grossa Oschta; Moselle Franconian/ lb, Grouss Osten; Rhine Franconian: ''Groß Oschte''; german: Großer Osten ; en, "Great East") is an administrative region in Northeastern France. It superseded three former administra ...

. Although Reims is by far the largest commune in its department,

Châlons-en-Champagne Châlons-en-Champagne () is a city in the Grand Est region of France. It is the capital of the department of Marne, despite being only a quarter the size of the city of Reims. Formerly called Châlons-sur-Marne, the city was officially renam ...

is the prefecture. Reims co-operates with 142 other communes in the ''

Communauté urbaine Communauté urbaine (French for "urban community") is the second most integrated form of intercommunality in France, after the ''Metropolis'' (french: link=no, métropole). A ''communauté urbaine'' is composed of a city ( commune) and its indep ...

Grand Reims The Communauté urbaine du Grand Reims is the '' communauté urbaine'', an intercommunal structure, centred on the city of Reims. It is located in the Marne department, in the Grand Est region, northeastern France. It was created on 1 January 20 ...

''.

Demographics

Economy

Rue de Vesle is the main commercial street (continued under other names), traversing the city from southwest to northeast through the Place Royale.

Architecture

Basilique Saint-Remi de Reims, Southwest view 20140306 1

is an example of

French Gothic architecture French Gothic architecture is an architectural style which emerged in France in 1140, and was dominant until the mid-16th century. The most notable examples are the great Gothic cathedrals of France, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, Reims Cathedra ...

. The

Basilica of Saint-Remi The Basilica of Saint-Remi (french: Basilique Saint-Remi) is a medieval abbey church in Reims, France (Rue Simon). It was founded in the 11th century "over the chapel of St. Christophe where St. Remi was buried." It is "the largest Romanesque chu ...

, founded in the 11th century "over the chapel of St. Christophe where

St. Remi Remigius (french: Remi or ; – January 13, 533), was the Bishop of Reims and "Apostle of the Franks". On 25 December 496, he baptised Clovis I, King of the Franks. The baptism, leading to about 3000 additional converts, was an important event ...

was buried", is "the largest Romanesque church in northern France, though with later additions." The Church of Saint-Jacques dates from the 13th to the 16th centuries. A few blocks from the cathedral, it stands in a neighbourhood of shopping and restaurants. The churches of Saint-Maurice (partly rebuilt in 1867), Saint-André, and Saint-Thomas (erected from 1847 to 1853, under the patronage of

Cardinal Gousset Thomas-Marie-Joseph Gousset (born at Montigny-lès-Cherlieu, a village of Franche-Comté, in 1792; died at Reims in 1866) was a French cardinal and theologian. The son of a vine-grower, he at first laboured in the fields, and did not begin h ...

, now buried within its walls) also draw tourists. Reims - temple (13)

The

Protestant Church of Reims The Protestant Church of Reims (french: Temple protestant de Reims) is a large Protestant church in Reims, France, built in 1921–1923 to replace an earlier building that had been destroyed during World War I (1914–1918). The building is in flam ...

, built in 1921–1923 over designs by Charles Letrosne, is an example of

flamboyant Flamboyant (from ) is a form of late Gothic architecture that developed in Europe in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, from around 1375 to the mid-16th century. It is characterized by double curves forming flame-like shapes in the bar-tr ...

neo-Gothic architecture. The Hôtel de Ville, erected in the 17th century and enlarged in the 19th, features a

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedim ...

with an equestrian statue of

Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...

(reigned 1610 to 1643). Narcisse Brunette was the architect of the city for nearly 50 years in the 19th century. He designed the

Reims Manège and Circus The Reims Manège and Circus (french: Manège et Cirque de Reims) were built in 1865 and 1867 respectively over designs by architect Narcisse Brunette, in Reims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the Fre ...

, which "combines stone and brick in a fairly sober classical composition." Examples of

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

in Reims include the Carnegie library. The Foujita Chapel, built in 1965–1966 over designs and with frescos by Japanese–French artist

Tsuguharu Foujita was a Japanese–French painter and printmaker born in Tokyo, Japan, who applied Japanese ink techniques to Western style paintings. At the height of his fame in Paris, during the 1920s, he was known for his portraits of nudes using an opalescen ...

, has been listed as a '' monument historique'' since 1992.

Culture

Museums

The

contains such exhibits as statues formerly displayed by the cathedral, treasures of the cathedral from past centuries, and royal attire from coronations of French kings. Hall in Saint-Remi Museum, Reims

The

, formerly the Abbey of Saint-Remi, contains tapestries from the 16th century donated by the archbishop Robert de Lenoncourt (uncle of the cardinal of the same name), marble capitals from the fourth century AD, furniture, jewellery, pottery, weapons and glasswork from the sixth to eighth centuries, medieval sculpture, the façade of the 13th-century musicians' House, remnants from an earlier abbey building, and also exhibits of Gallo-Roman arts and crafts and a room of pottery, jewellery and weapons from Gallic civilization, as well as an exhibit of items from the Palaeolithic to the Neolithic periods. Another section of the museum features a permanent military exhibition. The Automobile Museum Reims-Champagne, established in 1985 by

Philippe Charbonneaux Philippe Charbonneaux (18 February 1917 – 4 June 1998) was a French industrial designer, best known for automobile and truck design, but also known for other products such as television sets. Many of his works are now exhibited in places s ...

, houses a collection of automobiles dating from 1903 to the present day. The museum has five collections: automobiles, motorcycles and two-wheelers, pedal cars, miniature toys, and enamel plaques. The Museum of Fine Arts is housed in the former Abbey of Saint-Denis. The former Collège des Jésuites has also become a museum. Reims - musée de la Reddition (01)

The Museum of the Surrender is the building in which on 7 May 1945,

General Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

and the Allies received the unconditional surrender of the German

Theaters

Venues include the

Reims Opera House The Reims Opera House (french: Opéra de Reims, ), historically known as the ("Grand Theater"), was built in 1873 over designs by Alphonse Gosset, in Reims, France. Its architecture was "explicitly inspired by the Paris opera house, then still un ...

, built in 1873 and renovated in 1931–1932, and the

, dating from 1865 and 1867. The Comédie de Reims was inaugurated in 1966.

Libraries

Libraries in Reims include a Carnegie library which was built in the 1920s.

Festivals and events

Every year in June, the ''Fêtes Johanniques'' commemorate the entrance of Joan of Arc into Reims in 1429 and the coronation of Charles VII of France in the cathedral. A

Christmas market A Christmas market, also known as ''Christkindlmarkt'' (literally: ''Christ Child Market'', but the term "Christkind" usually refers to an angel-like "spirit of Christmas" rather than literally the Christ Child), ''Christkindlesmarkt'', ''Chris ...

is held on the parvis of Reims Cathedral (Place du Cardinal-Luçon).

Wine and food

Restaurants and bars are concentrated around Place Drouet d'Erlon in the city centre. Reims, along with

Épernay Épernay () is a commune in the Marne department of northern France, 130 km north-east of Paris on the mainline railway to Strasbourg. The town sits on the left bank of the Marne at the extremity of the Cubry valley which crosses it. Ép ...

and Ay, functions as one of the centres of champagne production. Many of the largest champagne-producing houses, known as ''les grandes marques'', have their headquarters in Reims, and most open for tasting and tours. Champagne ages in the many caves and tunnels under Reims, which form a sort of maze below the city. Carved from

chalk Chalk is a soft, white, porous, sedimentary carbonate rock. It is a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite and originally formed deep under the sea by the compression of microscopic plankton that had settled to the sea floor. Ch ...

, some of these passages date back to Roman times. The '' biscuit rose de Reims'' is a biscuit frequently associated with Champagne wine. Reims was long renown for its ''

pain d'épices ' or ' () is a French cake or quick bread. Its ingredients, according to ' (1694), were "rye flour, honey and spices". In Alsace, a considerable tradition incorporates a pinch of cinnamon. According to Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat, the commercial ...

'' and ''nonnette''.

Sports

Between 1925 and 1969, Reims hosted the ''

Grand Prix de la Marne The Grand Prix de la Marne (commonly known as the Marne Grand Prix) was a motor race organized by the Automobile Club de Champagne and staged at the circuit Reims-Gueux on public roads located west of the city of Reims in the Marne département ...

'' automobile race at the circuit of Reims-Gueux. The

French Grand Prix The French Grand Prix (french: Grand Prix de France), formerly known as the Grand Prix de l'ACF (Automobile Club de France), is an auto race held as part of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One World Championsh ...

took place here 14 times between 1938 and 1966. , the football club ''

Stade Reims Stade de Reims () is a French professional football club based in Reims. The club was formed in 1910 and plays in Ligue 1, the top level of Football in France, having been promoted from Ligue 2 in 2018. Reims plays home matches at the Stade Aug ...

'', based in the city, competed in the Ligue 1, the highest tier of French football. ''Stade Reims'' became the outstanding team of France in the 1950s and early 1960s and reached the final of the European Cup of Champions twice in that era. In October 2018, the city hosted the second

Teqball Teqball is a ball sport that is played on a curved table, combining elements of sepak takraw and table tennis. Back and forth, the players hit a football with any part of the body except arms and hands. Teqball can be played between two player ...

World Cup. The city has hosted the Reims Marathon since 1984.

Transport

Reims is served by two main railway stations: Gare de Reims in the city centre, the hub for regional transport, and the new

Gare de Champagne-Ardenne TGV Champagne-Ardenne TGV station ( French: ''Gare de Champagne-Ardenne TGV'') is a railway station located in Bezannes, France that opened in 2007 along with the first phase of the LGV Est, a high-speed rail line running from Paris to Strasbourg. I ...

southwest of the city with high-speed rail connections to Paris, Metz, Nancy and Strasbourg. There are two other railway stations for local services in the southern suburbs:

Franchet d'Esperey Franchet is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Adrien René Franchet (1834–1900), French botanist * Louis Franchet d'Espèrey Louis Félix Marie François Franchet d'Espèrey (25 May 1856 – 8 July 1942) was a French ...

and Reims-Maison-Blanche. The motorways A4 (Paris-Strasbourg),

A26 A26 or A-26 may refer to: Roads * List of A26 roads Transportation * Douglas A-26 Invader, a light attack bomber built by Douglas * Aero A.26, a Czech reconnaissance aircraft of the 1920s * Focke-Wulf A 26, a German Focke-Wulf aircraft * Blekinge- ...

(Calais-Langres) and A34 intersect near Reims. Reims - Grille des Basses-Promenades (2)

Public transport within the city consists of buses and a tramway, the latter opened in 2011. The

Canal de l'Aisne à la Marne The Canal de l’Aisne à la Marne (, literally ''Canal of the Aisne to the Marne'') is a canal in northeastern France which connects the Aisne and the Marne valleys. It runs from the Canal latéral à l'Aisne at Berry-au-Bac to Condé-sur-Marn ...

is a waterway. There is also an airport,

Reims – Prunay Aerodrome Reims – Prunay Aerodrome (french: Aérodrome de Reims - Prunay) is an airfield serving the city of Reims. It is located east-southeast of Reims, near Prunay, both communes of France, communes in the Marne (department), Marne departments of Fr ...

, but it had, as of 2020, no commercial airline flights.

Parks and gardens

Among the parks and gardens of Reims are the Parc de Champagne, where a Monument to the Heroes of the Black Army is located, and the Promenades.

Higher education

The

URCA Urca is a traditional and wealthy residential neighborhood with nearly 7,000 inhabitants (2000 census) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Although most of the neighborhood dates from the 1920s, parts of it are much older. What is now called the Forte Sã ...

(Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne) was founded in 1548. This multidisciplinary university develops innovative, fundamental, and applied research. It provides more than 18,000 students in Reims (22,000 in Champagne-Ardenne) with a wide initial undergraduate studies program which corresponds to society's needs in all domains of the knowledge. The university also accompanies independent or company-backed students in continuing professional development training. The

Institut d'Etudes politiques de Paris , motto_lang = fr , mottoeng = Roots of the Future , type = Public research university''Grande école'' , established = , founder = Émile Boutmy , accreditation ...

, the leading French university in social and political sciences, also known as Sciences Po, opened a new campus in the in 2010. It hosts both the Europe-Africa and Europe-America Program with more than 1,500 students in the respective programs. In 2012 the first Reims

Model United Nations Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational simulation in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations. At a MUN conference, students work as the representative of a count ...

was launched, which gathered 200 international students from all the Sciences Po campuses. Daniel Rondeau, the ambassador of France to

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

and a French writer, is the patron of the event. NEOMA Business School (former

Reims Management School Reims Management School (RMS) was a business school or ''grande école'' in Reims, France, offering several specialized programs. It merged with Rouen Business School in 2013 to create NEOMA Business School. Founded in 1928, RMS was one of the fe ...

) is also one of the main schools in Reims.

Notable residents

Those born in Reims include: *

Adolphe d'Archiac Étienne Jules Adolphe Desmier de Saint-Simon, Vicomte d'Archiac (24 September 180224 December 1868) was a French geologist and paleontologist. Early life He was born at Reims and educated at the Military School of St. Cyr. He served for nine yea ...

(1802–1868), geologist and

paleontologist Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...

Jean Baudrillard Jean Baudrillard ( , , ; 27 July 1929 – 6 March 2007) was a French sociologist, philosopher and poet with interest in cultural studies. He is best known for his analyses of media, contemporary culture, and technological communication, as ...

(1929–2007),

cultural theorist Culture theory is the branch of comparative anthropology and semiotics (not to be confused with cultural sociology or cultural studies) that seeks to define the heuristic concept of culture in operational and/or scientific terms. Overview In ...

and philosopher * (born 1974), comedian * Nicolas Bergier (1567–1623), scholar of

Roman roads Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...

Brodinski Louis Rogé, known professionally as Brodinski, is a French composer, producer and DJ from Reims.Stéphanie Binet« Qui a dit que la "french touch" battait de l'aile ? » ''Le Monde'', 22 décembre 2011. Biography 2007–2011 He started to ...

(born 1987), musical artist and DJ * Roger Caillois (1913–1978), intellectual * Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619–1683),

Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

from 1665 to 1683 under the reign of

Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...

* (1817–1902), librarian of Reims, fervent

republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Jean Del Val Jean Del Val (born Jean Jacques Gauthier; 17 November 1891 – 13 March 1975) was a French-born actor, also credited as Jean Gauthier and Jean Gautier. Career He played roles during the Hollywood silent era, beginning with ''The Fortunes of Fif ...

(1891–1975), actor * Rose Delaunay (born 1857), opera singer *

Jean-Baptiste Drouet, Count d'Erlon Jean-Baptiste Drouet, Comte d'Erlon (29 July 176525 January 1844) was a Marshal of France and a soldier in the Grande Armée during the Napoleonic Wars. He notably commanded the I Corps of the ''Army of the North'' at the Battle of Waterloo. Earl ...

(1765–1844),

marshal of France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...

and soldier in

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

's army *

Paul Fort Jules-Jean-Paul Fort (1 February 1872 – 20 April 1960) was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. At the age of 18, reacting against the Naturalistic theatre, Fort founded the Théâtre d'Art (1890–93). He also founded and edit ...

(1872–1960), poet * Nicolas Eugène Géruzez (1799–1865), critic *

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (born 10 February 1992) is a French multi-discipline bicycle racer, who rides for UCI Elite Mountain Bike team BMC MTB Racing in cross-country cycling. and has signed for Ineos Grenadiers for 2023. Ferrand-Prévot has a ...

(born 1992), world champion cyclist *

Nicolas de Grigny Nicolas de Grigny (baptized 8 September 1672 – November 30, 1703) was a French organist and composer. He died young and left behind a single collection of organ music, and an ''Ouverture'' for harpsichord. Life Nicolas de Grigny was born in R ...

(1672–1703), organist and composer *

Maurice Halbwachs Maurice Halbwachs (; 11 March 1877 – 16 March 1945) was a French philosopher and sociologist known for developing the concept of collective memory. Halbwachs also contributed to the sociology of knowledge with his ''La Topographie Legendaire de ...

(1877–1945), philosopher and sociologist * Kyan Khojandi (born 1982), comedian, actor and screenwriter * Jean Lévesque de Burigny (1692–1785), historian * Marie-Claire Jamet (born 1933), classical harpist * Guillaume de Machaut (1300–1377), composer and poet (Machaut was most likely born in Reims or nearby; he spent most of his adult life there) *

Henri Marteau Henri Marteau (31 March 1874 – 3 October 1934) was a French violinist and composer, who obtained Swedish citizenship in 1915. Life and career Marteau was born in Reims. He was of German and French ancestry. His father, a Frenchman, was a well k ...

(1874–1934), violinist and composer * Merolilan of Rheims, Irish cleric *

Olivier Métra Jules-Louis-Olivier Métra (2 June 1830 – 22 October 1889) was a French composer and conductor. Biography The son of the actor Jean Baptiste Métra, Olivier Métra began his career at a very early age with his father. In 1842, he made his d ...

(1830–1889), composer, conductor * Maurice Pézard (1876–1923), archaeologist and assyriologist *

Robert Pires Robert Emmanuel Pires (born 29 October 1973) is a French football coach and former professional player. Pires played for French clubs Metz and Marseille prior to his time with Arsenal, where he won two FA Cups and two Premier League titles inclu ...

(born 1973),

World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...

winner, footballer for Arsenal and for

Villarreal CF Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. ( ca-valencia, Vila-real Club de Futbol, S.A.D.), usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or simply Villarreal, is a professional football club based in Villarreal, in the Castellón province of eastern Spain, ...

Patrick Poivre d'Arvor Patrick Poivre d'Arvor (PPDA; né Patrick Jean Marcel Poivre, ; born 20 September 1947) is a French TV journalist and writer. He is a household name in France, and nicknamed "PPDA". With over 30 years and in excess of 4,500 editions of televis ...

(born 1947), television journalist and writer *

Jean-Baptiste de la Salle Jean-Baptiste de La Salle () (; 30 April 1651 – 7 April 1719) was a French priest, educational reformer, and founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He is a saint of the Catholic Church and the patron saint for tea ...

(1651–1719), Catholic saint, teacher and educational reformer * Jules de Saint-Pol (1810–1855), general * Émile Senart (1847–1928), indologist *

Adeline Wuillème Adeline Wuillème (born 8 December 1975 in Reims, Champagne-Ardenne), is a French foil fencer. She competed in three Olympic games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international spor ...

(born 1975),

foil Foil may refer to: Materials * Foil (metal), a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine * Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative metal * Aluminium foil, a type of wrapping for food * Tin foil, metal foil ...

fencer *

Yuksek Pierre-Alexandre Busson (born 3 June 1977), better known as Yuksek, is a French electronic music producer, remixer, singer and DJ from Reims. Yüksek means "high" in Turkish. Biography Yuksek was born in Reims, France. Yuksek played the piano a ...

(born 1977), electronic music producer, remixer, singer and DJ

Climate

Reims has an oceanic climate (

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''Cfb''), influenced by its inland position. This renders that although the maritime influence moderates averages, it nevertheless is prone to hot and cold extremes in certain instances. Reims has a relatively gloomy climate due to the said maritime influence and the dominance of low-pressure systems for much of the year. In spite of this, the amount of precipitation is fairly limited.

Twin towns – sister cities

Reims is twinned with: *

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...

, Italy (1954) * Brazzaville, Congo (1961) *

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

, England, United Kingdom (1962) *

Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label= Austro-Bavarian) is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the Roman settlement of ''Iuvavum''. Salzburg was founded ...

, Austria (1964) * Aachen, Germany (1967) *

Arlington County Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county ...

, United States (2004) * Kutná Hora, Czech Republic (2008) *

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...

, Japan (2018)

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

*
Tourist office website
– Official site for L'Office de Tourisme de Reims, {{Authority control Communes of Marne (department) Subprefectures in France Remi Gallia Belgica Champagne (province) Cities in France