World Heritage Identification Number: 601
World Heritage since: 1991
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Religious Sites & Sacred Architecture
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇫🇷 France
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Masterpiece of Gothic Architecture: Notre-Dame de Reims, Former Abbey of Saint-Rémi, and Palace of Tau
Notre-Dame de Reims, located in the heart of the French city of Reims, stands as a testament to the grandeur of Gothic architecture. This cathedral, along with the former Abbey of Saint-Rémi and the Palace of Tau, forms a unique and significant UNESCO World Heritage Site.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The outstanding handling of new architectural techniques in the 13th century, and the harmonious marriage of sculptural decoration with architecture, has made Notre-Dame in Reims one of the masterpieces of Gothic art. The former abbey still has its beautiful 9th-century nave, in which lie the remains of Archbishop St Rémi (440–533), who instituted the Holy Anointing of the kings of France. The former archiepiscopal palace known as the Tau Palace, which played an important role in religious ceremonies, was almost entirely rebuilt in the 17th century.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (i): The Cathedral of Notre-Dame of Reims is a masterpiece of Gothic art due to the outstanding handling of new architectural techniques in the 13th century and the harmonious marriage of architecture and sculptured ornamentation.
Criterion (ii): The perfection of the architecture and sculptural work of these buildings had a strong influence on later buildings in Europe.
Criterion (vi): The cathedral, the archiepiscopal palace and the former Abbey of Saint-Rémi are directly linked to the history of the French monarchy and hence the history of France. These places involved in the coronation ceremony recall the balance between public authority and sacred function that has made French royalty a political model throughout Europe.
Encyclopedia Record: Reims Cathedral
Notre-Dame de Reims, known in English as Reims Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral in the French city of the same name, the seat of the Archdiocese of Reims. The cathedral was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was the traditional location for the coronation of the kings of France. The cathedral is considered to be one of the most important works of Gothic architecture. A major tourist destination, it receives about a million visitors annually. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.Additional Site Details
Area: 4.16 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 49.25333333 , 4.032777778
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© Ludvig14, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
