“GOTHIC” was first coined for architecture, and its characteristic was continued and having revolution from the Romanesque period. It was started in the 12^th century and architecture retained its dominant role. The aims of gothic builders is to bring light and spaciousness into dark interiors. Dispensing weight and mass in external walls. Solid Romanesque walls gave way to skeletal gothic with structural elements – RIBS, POINTED ARCH, LOAD BEARING PIERS, and RIBS AND FLYING BUTTRESS. Interior walls that has 3 stories of arcaded & galleries – HEIGHT OF NAVE, TRIFORUM and CLERESTORY. It was also known as ‘the age of machine’ – harness wind and water power for agricultural, mechanical clock, cast irons for strengthening construction, tools & machinery. 

 

 

facts

The original architect was Jean d’Orbais. Located in Reims, France, it was built in the 13th century. It is not as old as Notre-Dame de Paris or Notre-Dame de Chartres. The building process started in 1211. Most of the works were done in 1275. It was built before the Cathedrals of Strasbourg, Amiens and Beauvais, which are also called Notre Dame.

Reims Cathedral was the site of coronations for French kings in memory of the baptism of Clovis here by Saint Remi in 496. It was considered one of the principle examples of Gothic architecture, the cathedral features sculpture from the Middle Ages around its portals and on the interior west wall including the famous Smiling Angel statue. The contemporary stained-glass windows were designed by Marc Chagall and made by local craftsmen to replace windows damaged by war.

From 1027 to 1825 all coronations of the French kings, except for Louis VI and Henry IV, took place in this cathedral or in one of the preceding churches. In the present cathedral, exactly 25 French kings were crowned, starting with Louis VIII the Lion in 1223. The cathedral, imagined by Viollet-le-Duc, should have got seven spiral towers: two at the west façade, one at the nave-transept crossing, two at the north transept and two at the south transept.

At the end of the 13th century, the interior was completed and the façade rose above the great rose window. During the 14th and 15th century construction work was at a low level, because of political instability and wars (Hundred Years War). The greater rose window (late 13th century) above the main porch represents the ascension of Our Lady. The oldest preserved stained glass windows (1235) are the high windows of the apse. The rose window on the south wall of the transept has been restored two times: in 1580 by Nicolas Dérodé after a hurricane and in 1937 by Jacques Simon. The theme of this window is the reunification of Christ and Mary in heaven. The small rose window (1936) above the main porch depicts the glorification of Mary.

 What makes Notre Dame de Reims historically significant is because the coronation of the kings of France was held in that cathedral, it’s also the baptism place of Clovis in 498. From then on, Reims become the city coronations. The ceremony took place in the chancel of the cathedral. Besides, the cathedral treasure rich preserved statuary. Moreover, Notre Dame de Reims was stated as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1991.

 

           

MATERIALS

            Quarried stone was used for the walls, vaulted ribs, and buttresses and as element to carry load. Marble was used for the flooring, non-load bearing wall and steps of the interior stairs. Gold and silver were used for the details of the sculpture and designs of the interior. Finally, the most important materials that was used even to the late century was wood.

The internal length of the cathedral is exactly 138.67m. The length of the nave is 115m. The outside width of the nave walls is 34m. The width of the great nave, measured from the axis of the pillars is 14.65m. The vault of the great nave has a height of 38m. The vault of the side aisles is 16.40m high. The façade is the finest portion of the building, one of the greatest masterpiece of the Middle ages.

 

CHARACTERISTICS

            There are four main characteristics that reflects Notre Dame de Reims architectural buildings. The first one is the flying buttress, it’s functioned to resist the lateral forces pushing a wall outwards by redirecting them to the ground. The immense thrust from the cathedral roof was partially carried down through the arm of the buttress to the upright and to the ground. The weight and the position of pinnacle will affect the thrust of which the buttress will take.