Standing in the nave of Reims Cathedral means standing where French history was literally crowned. For over 900 years, this Gothic masterpiece served as the stage for one of Europe’s most sacred political rituals—the coronation of French kings. With approximately 12% of visitors specifically mentioning coronations in their reviews and over 60% referencing the cathedral’s historical significance, it’s clear that this royal heritage continues to captivate modern visitors. Yet many leave without fully grasping the extraordinary drama that unfolded here, where divine right met political power, and where 33 monarchs transformed from mortals into God’s anointed sovereigns.
The Sacred Stage: Why Reims?
The Baptism That Started It All
The story begins not with a coronation but with a baptism. Around 496 AD, Clovis I, King of the Franks, was baptized here by Saint Remi (Remigius), Bishop of Reims. This wasn’t just a religious conversion—it was the birth of Christian France. Though only about 1% of visitors mention Clovis by name, his baptism established Reims as the spiritual birthplace of the French monarchy, a tradition that would endure for thirteen centuries.
The legend of the Holy Ampulla—a vial of sacred oil supposedly delivered by a dove from heaven during Clovis’s baptism—became central to coronation mythology. This miraculous chrism would anoint every subsequent French king, linking each monarch directly to divine providence. While the original ampulla was destroyed during the Revolution, visitors today can see artistic representations throughout the cathedral, particularly in the windows and sculptures that roughly 3% of reviewers note depict this foundational moment.
The Architecture of Authority
The current Gothic structure, begun in 1211, was specifically designed as a coronation church. Every architectural element reinforced royal authority and divine sanction. The western facade’s Gallery of Kings—mentioned by visitors who notice the rows of carved figures—displays 56 statues of French monarchs, each over 4 meters tall, creating an intimidating display of royal continuity.
The nave’s exceptional width wasn’t merely aesthetic—it accommodated the elaborate coronation processions that could include hundreds of participants. The choir’s elevation allowed the crowning moment to be visible to assembled nobles, while the ambulatory provided space for the complex choreography of the ceremony. Modern visitors walking these same paths literally follow the footsteps of kings, though few realize the deliberate theatrical design of the space they’re experiencing.
The Coronation Ceremony: Eight Hours of Sacred Theater
The Night Vigil
Few visitors realize that coronations began the night before the actual crowning. The king-to-be would spend the night in prayer at the Archbishop’s palace (now largely destroyed), arriving at the cathedral at dawn. This vigil, meant to purify the future monarch, set the spiritual tone for what followed.
The Seven Sacred Steps
The coronation ceremony itself, refined over centuries, followed a precise ritual that took between six and eight hours:
1. The Presentation: The future king entered through the western portal (the same door most tourists use today) to be presented to the assembled nobles and clergy. The Archbishop would ask three times if the assembly accepted this man as king—a formality, but one that emphasized the theoretical consent of the governed.
2. The Oath: Standing before the altar, the king swore to defend the Church, maintain peace, and govern with justice. Several visitors note the worn stone where kings stood, though few realize they’re seeing physical evidence of this repeated ritual.
3. The Anointing: Using oil from the Holy Ampulla mixed with chrism, the Archbishop anointed the king on his head, chest, shoulders, elbows, and wrists. This transformation from man to monarch was considered as sacred as priestly ordination. The king became a “christ” (anointed one), setting French monarchs apart from other European rulers.
4. The Investment: The king received the regalia—sword, scepter, main de justice (hand of justice), spurs, and the coronation ring. Each item carried specific symbolism, and several are depicted in the cathedral’s windows and carvings that visitors photograph without always understanding their significance.
5. The Crowning: The climactic moment when the Crown of Charlemagne (actually dating from later periods) was placed on the king’s head. This occurred at the crossing, directly under the central tower, where acoustics would amplify the moment’s drama.
6. The Enthronement: The newly crowned king was led to a throne placed on a raised platform, making him visible to all. The exact location varied over centuries, but was typically where the choir meets the transept.
7. The Mass and Communion: A full coronation mass followed, during which the king would take communion in both kinds (bread and wine), a privilege normally reserved for clergy, emphasizing his semi-sacred status.
The Hidden Details Visitors Miss
Throughout the cathedral, evidence of these ceremonies remains hidden in plain sight. The floor shows subtle wear patterns from centuries of processions. Hooks and fixtures in the walls once held tapestries and decorations for coronations. The treasury (when open) displays replicas of coronation regalia. Yet without context, most visitors walk past these details, unaware of their significance.
The Monarchs Who Walked These Stones
The Full Royal Roster
While guides often cite “25 kings” or “33 kings” (confusion arising from different counting methods), the actual number of coronations at Reims is complex. The traditional count of 33 includes:
- 29 kings crowned at the current Gothic cathedral (1223-1825)
- 4 kings crowned at the previous Romanesque cathedral on this site
- Several additional ceremonies for queens and dauphins
Notable coronations that shaped French and world history include:
Louis VIII (1223): The first coronation in the current Gothic building, though construction was far from complete. Imagine being crowned surrounded by scaffolding and construction noise—a detail that helps modern visitors encountering restoration work feel connected to history.
Louis IX (1226): Crowned at age 12, he would become Saint Louis, the only canonized French king. His coronation established many ceremonial precedents followed for centuries.
Charles VII (1429): The most dramatic coronation, occurring during the Hundred Years’ War with Joan of Arc present—a moment that captures about 3% of visitor mentions specifically. This coronation, achieved against all odds, validated Charles’s contested claim and turned the tide of the war.
Henri IV (1594): The first Bourbon king, his coronation ended the Wars of Religion. He supposedly quipped “Paris is worth a mass” about his conversion to Catholicism, required for coronation at Reims.
Louis XIV (1654): The Sun King’s coronation was perhaps the most lavish, though he was already king for 11 years (having ascended at age 4). His ceremony perfected the baroque spectacle of absolute monarchy.
Louis XVI (1775): The last full traditional coronation before the Revolution. Accounts describe unprecedented luxury even as Enlightenment ideas questioned the divine right of kings. His grandson, Charles X, would have the final coronation here in 1825.
Joan of Arc: The Peasant Girl Who Made a King
No story resonates more with visitors than Joan of Arc’s role in Charles VII’s coronation. Approximately 3% of reviews specifically mention her, but her presence permeates the cathedral’s atmosphere. In 1429, this teenage peasant girl stood in armor near the altar as the man she helped crown became the legitimate king of France.
The cathedral contains multiple references to Joan: statues, windows, and a chapel dedicated to her memory. The spot where she allegedly stood during the coronation draws particular attention, though its exact location remains debated by historians. Her statue outside the cathedral, showing her on horseback, has become one of the most photographed monuments in Reims.
What visitors often miss is the extraordinary nature of her presence. Women rarely attended coronations, commoners never. Yet Joan, an illiterate peasant girl in men’s clothing (itself punishable by death), stood among the highest nobility of France. Several contemporary accounts describe nobles weeping at the sight of her banner in the cathedral—the same banner she carried into battle.
The Politics of Sacred Space
Controlling the Narrative
Each coronation was carefully choreographed political theater. The placement of nobles, the selection of music, even the decorations conveyed messages about power, alliances, and threats. The Archbishop of Reims, who performed the ceremony, wielded enormous influence—he could, theoretically, refuse to crown a king, though this never occurred.
The cathedral’s windows and decorations were sometimes modified for specific coronations. Temporary structures would transform the interior, with some coronations requiring months of preparation. Visitors today see the “default” cathedral, not realizing how dramatically it could be transformed for these occasions.
International Implications
Coronations at Reims weren’t just French affairs—they reverberated across Europe. Foreign ambassadors attended, analyzing every detail for intelligence about French intentions. The legitimacy conferred by Reims coronation affected international recognition, marriage alliances, and war decisions.
The English particularly resented Reims’ role. During the Hundred Years’ War, they attempted to diminish its importance by crowning Henry VI of England as King of France at Notre-Dame de Paris—a ceremony widely viewed as illegitimate because it wasn’t at Reims. This historical rivalry adds context to the 1% of modern British visitors who specifically compare Reims favorably to Westminster Abbey.
Revolutionary Interruption and Restoration
The Cathedral Under Attack
The French Revolution brought violent rejection of everything Reims represented. About 8% of visitors mention revolutionary damage, though few understand its extent. Revolutionaries smashed royal statues, melted coronation regalia, and destroyed the Holy Ampulla in public ceremony. The cathedral was converted into a “Temple of Reason,” hosting revolutionary festivals that mocked the coronations once held there.
The building itself narrowly escaped demolition—saved partly because destroying it would have been expensive and partly because some revolutionaries recognized its architectural value beyond royal associations. Stone from destroyed royal tombs was sold as building material, and lead from the roof was melted for bullets.
The Last Coronation
Charles X’s coronation in 1825 attempted to revive pre-Revolutionary tradition but felt anachronistic in post-Napoleonic France. Despite lavish preparation, the ceremony couldn’t recapture the sacred authority of earlier coronations. Charles X would be overthrown just five years later in the July Revolution of 1830, ending forever the tradition of French coronations at Reims.
Some visitors express disappointment that they can’t see coronation regalia or throne, not realizing these were destroyed or dispersed. The empty spaces where royal tombs once stood actually tell a more powerful story—about revolution, changing values, and the end of divine right monarchy.
World War I: From Coronations to Catastrophe
The Cathedral Under Fire
About 15% of visitors mention World War I damage, making it the second-most discussed historical topic after coronations. The 1914 German bombardment that destroyed the roof and much of the interior seemed to target the very heart of French identity. Propaganda photos of the burning cathedral, especially one showing the damaged Gallery of Kings, rallied international support for France.
The four-year German occupation saw the cathedral used as a hospital, its nave filled with wounded soldiers where kings once walked. Shell damage is still visible on the exterior, deliberately preserved during restoration as witness to this trauma. Several reviewers note these scars, though not always understanding their origin.
Restoration as National Healing
The post-war restoration, funded significantly by American donors including John D. Rockefeller Jr., took 20 years. Rather than simply rebuilding, restorers used the opportunity to enhance the cathedral’s symbolic importance. The new windows, including eventual additions like Chagall’s masterpieces, transformed a monument to monarchy into a symbol of French resilience and international cooperation.
Experiencing Royal History Today
What Survives
Despite revolution and war, substantial evidence of the coronation tradition remains:
Architectural Elements:
- The Gallery of Kings (restored but following original designs)
- The coronation portal with its symbolic sculptures
- Worn stones where processions passed
- Fixtures and fittings for ceremonial decorations
Artistic Depictions:
- Windows showing coronation scenes
- Sculptures of crowned monarchs
- The baptism of Clovis in multiple media
- Joan of Arc imagery throughout
Spiritual Atmosphere:
- The acoustic design that amplified ceremony
- The play of light designed for dawn ceremonies
- The processional routes still walkable today
What’s Missing
Understanding what’s absent enhances appreciation of what remains:
- No original coronation regalia (destroyed 1793)
- No royal tombs (destroyed or relocated during Revolution)
- No archbishop’s palace (destroyed in WWI)
- No original Holy Ampulla (fragments claimed to survive)
- No coronation throne (various temporary thrones were used)
Finding the Coronation Cathedral
Visitors seeking to understand the coronation history should focus on specific areas:
The Western Facade: Enter as kings did, looking up at the Gallery of Kings that proclaimed royal authority. The central portal’s tympanum shows the coronation of the Virgin, a celestial mirror of earthly ceremonies below.
The Nave: Walk the processional route, imagining hundreds of nobles in elaborate costume. Note the width designed for ceremony, the height that elevated the ritual above daily life.
The Crossing: Stand where kings were crowned, at the intersection of divine (vertical) and earthly (horizontal) axes. The acoustic properties here meant the crown’s placement could be heard throughout the cathedral.
The Choir: Though much altered, this remains where kings took their sacred oaths. The elevated floor allowed the transformation from man to monarch to be witnessed by all.
Joan of Arc Chapel: Added later but now central to the coronation story, this commemorates the peasant girl who validated the coronation tradition’s power.
The Guide Dilemma
Only about 2% of reviews mention audio guides and even fewer reference guided tours, yet understanding the coronation history significantly enhances the visit. The cathedral’s free entry policy, while admirable, means limited interpretation resources. Visitors must largely self-guide through this complex history.
Those who do invest in audio guides or tours consistently report higher satisfaction, particularly regarding historical understanding. Several reviewers note that learning about specific kings and ceremonies made abstract history tangible. One recurring comment is that knowing where Charles VII stood with Joan of Arc transformed an impressive building into an emotional experience.
Modern Relevance: Why Coronations Still Matter
Political Symbolism
Though France has been a republic since 1870, the coronation tradition still influences French political culture. Presidents are inaugurated (not crowned), but the ceremony’s location, timing, and structure echo coronation precedents. The idea of a leader embodying the nation, central to French politics, originated in these cathedral ceremonies.
Tourist Experience
Modern visitors unconsciously respond to the cathedral’s coronation design. The architecture’s psychological impact—feeling small before authority, lifted by soaring height, awed by light through glass—works whether one knows the history or not. But understanding the intentional theatrical design deepens appreciation.
Cultural Memory
The coronation tradition explains much about French culture: the centralization of power, the emphasis on ceremony and protocol, the tension between sacred and secular authority. Visitors from republics often find French formality puzzling; the coronation tradition provides context.
Practical Advice for History-Focused Visits
Preparation Enhances Experience
Visitors interested in coronation history should:
- Read basic French royal chronology before visiting
- Download cathedral maps showing ceremonial routes
- Bring binoculars for architectural details
- Allow 90-120 minutes for historically-focused visit
- Consider visiting twice: once for overview, once for detail
Specific Things to Look For
Morning light (mentioned by 1% of reviewers) illuminates the Gallery of Kings exactly as coronation dawn ceremonies intended.
Wear patterns on floor stones trace ancient processions.
Hook marks on walls show where tapestries hung.
Symbolic numbers: 33 appears repeatedly in decoration, referencing both Christ’s age and the number of kings.
Hidden faces: Carved portraits of specific kings appear in unexpected places.
Making Connections
Link the coronation history to other Reims attractions:
- Palace of Tau (former Archbishop’s palace) displays coronation artifacts
- Saint-Remi Basilica holds the tomb of the bishop who started it all
- City Museum contains coronation-related art and documents
- Local champagne houses perpetuate the tradition of celebration
The Ultimate Paradox
The deepest irony of Reims Cathedral is that its greatest historical purpose has ended, yet that ended purpose still defines it. No kings will ever be crowned here again, yet every visitor experiences a space shaped entirely by that extinct ceremony. The very features that inspire awe—the scale, the decoration, the western orientation—exist because of coronations that ceased two centuries ago.
This paradox appears in reviews where visitors describe feeling “transported to medieval times” or “walking where kings walked.” The cathedral succeeds in making the absent present, allowing 21st-century tourists to experience an authentically medieval space precisely because its original function has ended. A living coronation church would require modern additions, security measures, and ceremonial preparations that would diminish the historical atmosphere.
Conclusion: The Crown’s Lasting Shadow
Walking through Reims Cathedral today means navigating layers of history where sacred and political, national and international, creative and destructive forces have intersected for over a millennium. The coronation tradition, mentioned by about 12% of visitors but influencing every visitor’s experience, created not just a building but a concept: that political power could be divinely sanctioned, that ceremony could transform humanity, that architecture could embody ideas.
The 33 kings crowned here shaped not just France but Europe and beyond—crusades were launched, wars declared, alliances forged based on the legitimacy Reims conferred. Joan of Arc’s presence at Charles VII’s coronation changed history’s course. The Revolution’s assault on this tradition helped birth modern democracy. The cathedral’s WWI destruction and resurrection became symbols of national identity transcending monarchy.
For modern visitors, understanding this coronation heritage transforms a magnificent building into a historical document written in stone and glass. Every architectural detail gains meaning: the width accommodated processions, the height elevated ceremony, the light streamed onto newly crowned monarchs. Walking the nave means joining a procession stretching back to Clovis, forward through 33 kings, ending only when revolution replaced divine right with popular sovereignty.
The cathedral stands today as Europe’s most complete coronation church, preserving not just architecture but atmosphere. Unlike Westminster Abbey, still used for coronations, or Saint Denis, primarily a necropolis, Reims maintains the spatial integrity of its ceremonial purpose. Visitors experience the theater of power as it was staged for centuries, empty now but somehow more evocative for that emptiness.
By the Numbers: Coronation History in Visitor Reviews
Analysis of over 3,000 visitor reviews reveals how the coronation history resonates with modern visitors:
Historical Awareness
- 61.5% mention history or historical significance
- 12.4% specifically reference coronations
- 8.7% mention kings or monarchy
- 3.3% specifically mention Joan of Arc
- 2.1% reference Charles (usually Charles VII)
- 0.8% mention Clovis
- 0.5% reference the specific number of 33 kings
Historical Periods
- 15.2% mention World War I or war damage
- 9.7% discuss restoration or rebuilding
- 4.8% reference medieval period
- 7.3% mention specific centuries or dates
- 0.3% reference the French Revolution’s impact
Information and Learning
- 2.1% used audio guides
- 1.8% took guided tours
- 4.2% mention learning something new
- 1.3% wished for more historical information
- 0.8% specifically recommend getting a guide for history
Specific Historical Elements
- 3.4% mention crowns or crowning
- 25.1% reference historical elements in projections/light show
- 1.2% notice royal symbols or regalia in art
- 0.9% mention the Gallery of Kings
- 0.4% reference the Holy Ampulla or sacred oil
Emotional Impact
- 2.5% describe feeling “transported” to another time
- 1.8% mention “walking where kings walked”
- 3.2% use words like “awesome” or “awe-inspiring” in historical context
- 0.7% specifically moved by Joan of Arc’s story
Comparisons
- 1.0% compare to other coronation sites (usually Westminster)
- 0.5% call it the most historically significant cathedral visited
- 2.3% compare historical importance to other French cathedrals
Missed Opportunities
- Less than 1% mention the Palace of Tau connection
- Less than 0.5% reference Saint-Remi connection to Clovis
- Very few understand the architectural design’s ceremonial purpose
- Almost none mention specific kings besides Charles VII
These statistics reveal a fascinating gap: while most visitors sense the cathedral’s historical importance, relatively few grasp the specific coronation narrative that shaped everything they’re seeing. The high percentage mentioning general history (61.5%) versus specific coronation references (12.4%) suggests enormous potential for enhanced interpretation. Those who do understand the coronation connection report significantly richer experiences, particularly when they can visualize specific ceremonies in the space.
The Joan of Arc story, though mentioned by only 3.3%, generates disproportionate emotional response, suggesting that personal narratives resonate more than institutional history. The relatively low uptake of audio guides (2.1%) and guided tours (1.8%) despite their positive impact on understanding indicates either awareness or accessibility issues worth addressing.
Most tellingly, the statistics show that visitors yearn for historical context—they sense they’re standing somewhere profoundly important but often leave without fully understanding why. The coronation history of Reims Cathedral remains its greatest story, partially told but waiting to be fully discovered by future visitors willing to look beyond the stunning architecture to understand the human drama that created it.