Reims cathedral

Our first proper view of Notre Dame in Reims came from our hotel bedroom, and even from here it looked spectacular.

Out in the square you really get a sense of its size.

It’s actually larger than Notre Dame in Paris, and for 900 years it was where the kings of France were crowned — 33 in total.

It has not always been the same building. The current gothic structure was built on the foundations of the previous cathedral, that burned down in 1210. The cathedral we see now was begun in 1211, and completed just 60 years later. Now 60 years may seem a long time, but it is truly massive.

During the First World War the German army fired almost 300 shells at the cathedral, and on September 19 1914, following eight hours of constant bombardment, the cathedral roof caught fire, and 400 tonnes of lead plunged into the building and the streets.

© DR / Centre des monuments nationaux

In 1924 John D. Rockfeller made a large donation to help repair the roof and stonework. By 1938 the cathedral had a finished roof again, and in 1991 it was made a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It is a wonderful centrepiece to the city of Reims, and certainly makes for a stunning sight, day or night.

The cathedral is still being renovated today, and it’s only when you enter it, and start to walk around inside, that you really feel the mammoth task.