Rheims and the Battles for its Possession Part 4

On September 19, 1914, incendiary sh.e.l.ls set fire to various portions of the building. The roof was burnt, but the vaulting escaped injury. The tambours of the side doors and the statues on the latter were destroyed by the flames. The 18th century stalls, consecration carpet of Charles X. and archi-episcopal throne were likewise burnt. The great rose-window of the western facade, together with several other stained-gla.s.s windows, were destroyed, as were also the "Angel" steeple and its caryatids above the chevet. The northern tower was seriously injured by the burning of the scaffolding around it (_see photo, p. 9_). The statues were eaten into by the flames and subsequently crumbled away, some of them being irrecoverably lost.

In 1915 and 1916 the Cathedral was struck a hundred times, but it was during the bombardments of April 15, 19 and 24, 1917, that it suffered most. For seven consecutive hours, at the rate of twelve per hour, the Germans fired 12-in., 14-in. and 15-in. sh.e.l.ls on the edifice, causing terrible havoc, especially to the south-western side.

During the terrible bombardments of April, 1918, the Cathedral did not suffer--for once the Germans seemed to have decided to spare it; but, unfortunately, the truce did not last. In the following months the bombardment began again, and the ravages increased, especially in the two towers and the vaulting. However, both vaulting and towers, in spite of their injuries, have not been irreparably damaged in their vital parts, and are capable of restoration.

That the damage is not more serious is due to the protective measures taken by the Cathedral architect and by the Department of Historical Monuments. As early as 1915, the doorways of the western facade were protected with beams and sand-bags (_see photo, p. 25_), while the Treasure was removed and placed in safety, together with the paintings and tapestries.

In 1916 and following years masonry protections were placed around some of the more valuable statues. The fallen fragments of carvings and sculpture were carefully collected, with a view to future restoration.

In this way the debris of the head of the beautiful statue of the "Visitation" Group, known as the "Smile of Rheims," on the left-hand side of the central doorway of the western facade, were saved.

At the beginning of 1918, it was found possible to save the remains of the stained-gla.s.s of the windows, and other gla.s.s-work still intact--amongst which was some of the finest in the nave. The salvage was difficult, for scaffolding would have furnished the Germans with an excuse for further bombardments. Recourse was had to a small body of Paris firemen and two glaziers who, in foggy weather, and before daybreak, climbed up to the iron framework of the windows and accomplished their work at great heights with remarkable courage and skill.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REIMS]

REIMS SCALE.

------------------------- 0 500 1,000 M.

PORTE DE MARS A. D-3-4 MUSICIANS' HOUSE B. D-4 BARRACKS C.

**CATHEDRAL D. D-4-5 ARCHI-EPISCOPAL PALACE E. D-5 CHURCH OF ST. MAURICE F. E-5-6 POLICE STATION G. D-2 HOTEL DE VILLE H. D-4 LAW COURTS J. D-4 *HOTEL DIEU K. E-6 *CHURCH OF ST. REMY L. E-6 MUSEUM M. D-5 OCTROIS (Tolls) O.

SUB-PREFECTURE P. E-4-5 THEATRE T. D-4-5

POPULATION 115,178 H ALt.i.tUDE 83 M

PLACES.

1.--Pl. Luton 2.--Pl. de la Republique 3.--Pl. du Boulingrin 4.--Pl. Betheny.

5.--Square Colbert 6.--Pl. St. Andre 7.--Pl. des Marches 8.--Pl. Colin.

9.--Pl. Royale 10.--Esplanade Ceres 11.--Place du Parvis 12.--Pl. Belle Tour 13.--Pl. de l'Hopital Civil 14.--Pl. St. Remy 15.--Pl. St. Nicaise 16.--Rond point St. Nicaise 17.--Pl. Dieu Lumiere

HOTELS.

Hotel Continental a C-4 Hotel du Nord b C-4 Temporary Annexe Grand Hotel c D-5 Post Office Telegraph Telephone f E-4

Roads and streets to be avoided by motor cars.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ENLARGED PLAN OF CENTRE OF TOWN]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CATHEDRAL OF RHEIMS]

CATHEDRAL OF RHEIMS Plan of Cathedral and Archi-episcopal Palace

1. Staircase of the Towers.

2. Site of the Labyrinth (p. 53).

3. Main Pulpit (p. 53).

4. Site of "La Rouelle de Saint-Nicaise"

(Flag-stone with memorial inscription) (p. 53).

5. Pillar supporting the "Vintage Scene" (p. 52).

6. Altar of the Rear Choir (p. 57).

7. 14th century Tombstones (p. 53).

8. Tomb of Cardinal de Lorraine.

9. The Treasure (p. 58).

10. Clock with Automatons (p. 55).

11. Tombstone of Hughes Libergier (p. 55).

12. Norman Door (p. 45).

13. Great Organ (p. 55).

14. Lady Chapel (p. 55).

15. Chapel of the Holy Sacrament (p. 56).

16. Rosary Chapel (p. 57).

17. Roman Mosaic (p. 57).

=West Facade=

(_See full views on pp. 28 and 29_).

Better than any other, this part of the building reveals the desire for unity and harmony which guided the various builders of the Cathedral.

The doorway, probably designed by Jean d'Orbais, was very likely not begun till about 1250, by Gaucher, of Rheims. Bernard of Soissons built the great rose-window and the facade as far as the Gallery of the Kings.

The architects of the 14th century built the lateral parts forming the first storey of the towers, the Kings' Gallery and the gable. The upper storey of the towers was only finished in the 15th century. Except for slight modifications in detail, the original plan was respected. This facade, with its full open-work towers and immense rose-window, demonstrates that the architects knew how to obtain the maximum of resistance with wonderfully light construction.

The =Western Doorway= (_photo below_) comprises three doors flanked by two full arcades, and surmounted by gables adorned with statues.

Between the gables are pinnacles on small columns (the left-hand ones have been destroyed). At the foot of the pinnacles are statues of seated musicians, which recall those on the house in the Rue de Tambour (_see p. 80_), but which have been partly destroyed.

The splaying of the doors is adorned with great statues backed up against columns and separated by smaller columns, the capitals of which are connected to a foliate frieze of elegant design. The bases are ornamented with carved drapery. The tympana of the doors contain window-lights, while five rows of statues, separated by lines of flowers and foliage, fill up the archings, which suffered severely in the bombardment of September 19, 1914. About a dozen subjects were destroyed or spoilt. During the subsequent bombardments, sh.e.l.l splinters did further damage.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DOORWAY OF THE WEST FRONT BEFORE THE WAR]

Generally the sculptural decoration on the ground-floor dates from the middle of the 13th century.

In September, 1914, several of the great statues of the lateral splayings were completely destroyed and the others more or less seriously damaged. However, subsequent damage was slight, thanks to the protective measures taken in 1915.

=Central Door=

The lavish decoration of the central door suffered mutilations during the last three centuries. The inscription carved on the lintel dates from 1802 and replaced carving descriptive of the life of the Virgin, destroyed during the Revolution. The sculpture on the arches, especially that of the three upper lines, was partly restored in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The beautiful statues in the splayings of the door represent: _to the right_ (_photo, p. 36_), the =Annunciation= and =Visitation= (the latter group is striking by reason of its inspiration from the antique); _to the left, the_ =Purification= (_photo, p. 36_).

The Virgin of the Annunciation group was damaged by sh.e.l.l splinters on September 4, 1914.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CENTRAL DOOR OF THE WEST FRONT BEFORE THE WAR (_Cliche LL._)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _The Annunciation._ _The Visitation._ RIGHT-HAND SPLAYING OF CENTRAL DOOR]

In the gable, a pretty group representing the =Coronation of the Holy Virgin= was injured by the fires of 1914.