Rheims and the Battles for its Possession

by Pneu Michelin

THE SMALL PULPIT IN THE REAR CHOIR

The archbishop's throne, by Viollet-le-Duc, was destroyed by the fire of 1914, together with the 18th century stalls.

The railings (1826-1832) replaced, not very happily, an ancient stone rood-loft destroyed in 1761.

The Interior of the Southern Transept

(See plan, p. [33], and the Exterior, p. [47])

A gap was made in the vaulting by the bombardment of April 19, 1917.

The arrangement of the inner façade is similar to that of the northern transept, except that the three high bays with lancet windows, which are partially hidden in the northern transept, are here entirely visible.

The stained-glass of the rose-window, destroyed by a hurricane in 1580, was replaced in 1581 by the Rheims artist Nicolas Dérodé. It represents the Eternal Father surrounded by the twelve apostles.

In the Rosary Chapel is a Renaissance altar-screen (1541), attributed to the Rheims sculptor Pierre Jacques. The general scheme represents The dead body of Christ on the knees of the Virgin, and above, Christ coming forth from the sepulchre. It was a gift of Canon Paul Grandraoul, who is shown on his knees before Mary Magdalene.