Part 3

The archbishop, Mgr. Lucon, was absent from Rheims in 1914, being retained in Rome by the Council. As soon as the latter was ended, he returned to Rheims and thereafter, like his coadjutor, Mgr. Neveux, and the unmobilized clergy, he remained at his post until the evacuation of April, 1917. The Cathedral architect, M. Sainsaulieu, who, like Mgr. Lucon, has been made a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, remained constantly at his post, repairing from day to day, as well as might be, the damage caused to the Cathedral, and saving the art treasures spared by the German shells.

The firemen, reinforced in March, 1915, by thirty-two of their comrades from Paris, devoted themselves, at the risk of their lives, to fighting the flames caused by the bombardments. Unfortunately, their courage and devotion were often unequal to their task. For instance, twenty-two separate fires occurred on the night of February 22, 1915. Their task was rendered still more difficult by the fact that the Germans often fired on the burning buildings to drive off the men who were trying to save them.

On July 6, 1917, the President of the French Republic fittingly acknowledged the magnificent bravery of the firemen by personally decorating their flag with the Croix de la Legion d'Honneur. At the same time he conferred this dignity on the city (_see p. 2_).

After remaining closed for several weeks, the schools re-opened. Until then, the children had been too much in the streets looking for aluminium fuses of shells, out of which they made rings, or for scraps of stained-glass from the broken windows of the Cathedral. The first school, called the "Maunoury" school, was installed on December 7, 1914, in a wine cellar of the firm Pommery, Boulevard Henri-Vasnier, near the Rond-Point St. Nicaise. On January 22, 1915, the "Joffre" school was opened in the cellars of Messrs. Mumm, 24 Rue du Champ-de-Mars. Then came the "Albert I." school, in the cellars of Messrs. Krug, 5 Rue Coquebert, and the "Dubail" school in those of Messrs. Champion, Place St. Nicaise. In addition to the underground schools, open-air classes were conducted. The underground schools, in which the teaching staff, exclusively voluntary, lived permanently, together with the school-children and their relatives, were situated in the most exposed and frequently bombarded districts. The "Dubail" school was struck three times: on March 6, 1915 (by an 8-in. shell), and on March 25 and October 25, 1916. Luckily there were no victims.

The schools were quite close to the enemy lines, the distance varying from about two-thirds of a mile to a mile and a half.

In 1915 and 1916, the examinations for the "Elementary School Certificate" took place in July, as usual. In 1915, the ceremony of the Annual Prize Distribution, which had not taken place at Rheims for ten years, was restored, the book-prizes for the pupils coming from every corner of France.

The victualling of the town, thanks to the co-operation between the Municipal and Military Authorities, was effected with regularity. There was never any shortage of bread. The butchers' and grocers' shops remained open. The milk-women and hawkers donned their helmets and continued to push their carts through the streets. The market-women remained at their stalls. The nuns of St. Vincent-de-Paul, whose convent had been largely destroyed, ensured the service of cheap meals, organised by the Municipality for the poor. The undaunted inhabitants had their daily paper ("_L'Eclaireur de l'Est_"), edited by M. Dramas, a courageous journalist, whose printing-house was early wrecked by shell-fire, but who continued almost single-handed to issue his paper.

A VISIT TO RHEIMS

(_pp. 28 to 120_)

=THE CATHEDRAL= (_pp. 28 to 60_)

=FIRST ITINERARY= (_pp. 61 to 94_)

=The Archi-episcopal Palace, Museum, Church of St. Jacques, Promenades, Town Hall, Place Royale, Musicians' House, Mars Gate, Faubourg Ceres, Church of St. Andre, Palais-de-Justice, etc.=

=SECOND ITINERARY= (_pp. 95 to 120_)

=The Lycee, Abbey of St. Pierre-les-Dames, Rue Barbatre, Church of St. Maurice, Church of St. Remi, Hotel-Dieu Hospital, etc.=

=The Cathedral=

The Cathedral of Rheims, which Charles VIII. declared to be "pre-eminent among all the churches of the kingdom," and which a local poet in the reign of Louis XIII. extolled above the seven wonders of the world, is one of the most beautiful Gothic churches extant.

Few edifices combine such grandeur, simplicity and grace; still fewer, its characteristic unity and symmetry.

The work of at least four architects, the building operations extended over two centuries, yet it has retained rare unity both of plan and style. The whole is so harmonious as to give the impression of being the effort of a single master-mind.

=Historical Account=

The Cathedral stands on the site of former churches, successively erected between the 5th and 13th centuries. On the night of May 6, 1210, a terrible fire destroyed the then existing edifice, together with a portion of the city.

Exactly one year later, Archbishop Aubri de Humbert laid the first stone of a new edifice, which was destined to become the Cathedral of to-day.

Begun in 1211, the building went on without pause for twenty years, after which, there was a slackening, followed by a vigorous resumption in 1299. Another pause occurred during the Hundred Years' War. The Cathedral, less the tower spires provided for in the plans, was finished in 1428. The spires were not yet built when the great fire of July 24th, 1481, entirely destroyed the roof of the Cathedral, further deferring their construction, which was subsequently abandoned.

The funds for this colossal work were furnished partly by the clergy and the people, partly by Papal Indulgences granted to donors, and by collections in Christian lands, especially in the ecclesiastical province of Rheims. The wonderful plans of the Cathedral were long believed to be the work of _Robert de Coucy_, whereas the original ones were in fact drawn by _Jean d'Orbais_, who began their execution between 1211 and 1231. His work was continued with wonderful fidelity by _Jean-le-Loup_, from 1231-1247; by _Gaucher of Rheims_ in 1247-1255, _Bernard of Soissons_ from 1255 to 1290, _Robert de Coucy_ until 1311, and afterwards by _Maitre Colard_, _Gilles le Macon_, _Jean de Dijon_ and _Colard de Givry_ in the course of the 14th and 15th centuries.

In the 17th and 18th centuries only repairs rendered necessary by the wear of the stone were effected. In the 19th century, beginning in 1845, important restorations, principally by Viollet-le-Duc, were carried out with regularity.

The Cathedral's approximate measurements are 480 feet long (it is the longest church in France), and 160 feet wide at the intersection of the transept. The vaulting, less lofty than that at Beauvais (156 feet) and Amiens (143 feet), is 123 feet in height. The towers are six in number (as in the cathedral at Laon), of which the four situated at the extremities of the transept have never had more than one storey. The principal towers are about 266 feet in height, or about 60 feet higher than those of Notre-Dame in Paris.

The plan of the Cathedral is in shape a Latin cross, with radiating chapels. It is built entirely of stone from the neighbourhood of Rheims. Forty pillars support the vaults, which are further sustained by fifty buttresses. Three great doorways and eight secondary doors give access to the interior, which is lighted by a hundred windows and rose-windows; 2,303 figures of all sizes decorate the exterior and interior.

=The Cathedral During the War=

In revenging themselves on Rheims for their disappointments and failures, the Germans seem to have been particularly determined to destroy the building which is at once one of the most precious artistic treasures of France and one of the most ancient evidences of her history. In 1814 the then Allies bombarded Rheims but respected the Cathedral. It is true that there were Germans who found fault with this respectful forbearance. One of them, _Johann Joseph Goeres_, author of a voluminous work entitled "_Christian Mysticism_," dared to write in April, 1814: "_Destroy, reduce to ashes, this Rheims basilica, where Chlodoric was consecrated, and where was born that empire of the Franks, those turncoat brothers of the noble Germans; burn the Cathedral._" In the course of the recent war the Germans followed the vindictive advice of Goeres, although, less frank than he, they did not dare, in face of the indignation of Christendom and of the whole world, boast of their vandalism.

By way of excuse they alleged sometimes errors in firing, sometimes that the French had established a battery of artillery near the Cathedral and an observation-post in one of the towers (a projector was installed on the Cathedral, on September 13, 1914, _i.e._ the day that the French re-entered Rheims, and it remained there only one night).

On November 9, 1914, General Rouquerol declared to the French Government, who had demanded an enquiry, that the nearest battery to the Cathedral was at that time more than 1,200 yards away; that on the day (September 19) the Cathedral was set on fire by the German shells, the nearest French batteries were still quite close to the spot occupied by the above-mentioned battery, whose position the French Premier verified personally. The General concluded that the German artillery could not have made an error of 1,200 yards in firing, but that they had deliberately aimed at the Cathedral.

The Cathedral, though terribly shattered, is still standing. The description of the edifice (pp. 33 to 60) gives particulars of the damage and destructions which occurred principally in September, 1914, April, 1917, and July, 1918.

On September 19, 1914, incendiary shells 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-glass 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. shells 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-glass of the windows, and other glass-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.

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 ALTITUDE 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.

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, shell splinters did further damage.

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 shell splinters on September 4, 1914.

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

Of the two fine statues on the top of the buttresses framing the Central door, only the right-hand one (=Solomon=) exists to-day; the other, representing the =Queen of Sheba=, was destroyed by a shell in September, 1914, except the head, which was saved.

=The Right-Hand Door=

_See photograph on p. 25._

On the lintel, =Saint Paul=, blind, is being led to Ananias, who restores his sight and baptizes him.

On the jambs are pretty little figures which have been variously interpreted. The majority represent vices and virtues, _e.g. on the inner portion_: =Courage=, in knightly raiment; =Cowardice= fleeing before a hare; =Charity= holding out a purse; =Avarice= with a cash-box; _on the outer portion_: =Pride= blasted and overthrown with his horse; =Sloth=, represented as a man seated with his head resting on his elbows, in a stall; =Wisdom= seated, holding a book and a lighted lamp. On the same jambs other figures are supposed to symbolise the seasons: =Autumn= sitting on a vine-trellis; =Winter= standing before a fire place; =Spring= in the midst of flowers; =Summer= with bared chest.

The six statues in the splaying on the right (_photo above_) represent: the aged =Simeon= holding Christ in his arms; =John the Baptist=, =Isaiah=, =Moses= with the brazen serpent and the tables of the Law; =Abraham= about to sacrifice Isaac; =Samuel= carrying a lamb (which has been broken). They differ by their more archaic style from the other sculptures of the lower facade, and closely resemble those of the central door of the north transept of the Cathedral of Chartres. Like the latter, they date without doubt from the beginning of the 13th century. Possibly they belonged to an earlier doorway, or were prepared in advance for a purpose not realised, being finally utilised in the place where they now stand.

The =Last Judgment=, in the gable, was severely damaged by shell splinters.

=The Left-Hand Door=

This door, on account of the scaffolding which surrounded it, was seriously damaged by the fires of September, 1914 (_see p. 17_).

On the lintel is =Saint Paul=, thrown from his horse at the gates of Damascus. On the outside of the jambs, fourteen seated figures meditating, are supposed by some to be embodiments of the arts and sciences, but represent more probably prophets or teachers. Along the splayings are eleven statues, which have not definitely been identified.

In the left-hand splaying is =Saint Nicaise= between two angels. The right-hand angel, generally known as the "=Smile of Rheims=," was decapitated on September 19, 1914. Fortunately, the fragments of the head of this fine statue were saved.

The sculptures in the archings depict scenes from the Passion, while the group which adorns the gable represents =The Crucifixion=.

These archings and gable were greatly damaged by the fires of September 19, 1914, and the bombardments.

=The First Storey=

In the centre is the great rose-window, best seen from the interior of the nave. The stained-glass is broken. On either side, against the arching which surmounts it, were two large statues. One of them, _David as a youth in shepherd's garb_ (also known as the _Pilgrim_), was destroyed by the bombardments. The other very fine statue is variously said to be _Saul_, _Solomon_ and _St. James_.

The arching which begins above these statues was adorned with small groups of figures representing scenes from the life of Solomon. Most of them were destroyed at the same time as the Pilgrim statue.

Above the arching, a gigantic statue (twice restored) represents _David challenging Goliath_. The bombardments of 1914 destroyed a similar statue on the left representing _David slaying Goliath with a stone from his sling_.

The first storey of the towers flanking the rose-window is broken by lofty twin bays crowned with gables. The niches and pinnacles of the buttresses are identical with those of the nave, but the style of their decoration denotes a more recent period (early 14th century).

The northern tower was badly damaged by the bombardment of September 19, 1914, which fired the scaffolding around it (_see photo, p. 9_). Two of the pinnacled niches surmounting the buttresses were decapitated, while the flames completely disfigured the statues, including that of Christ.

A large calibre shell burst in the southern tower on April 19, 1917, causing very serious damage.