REIMS, or RHEIMS, a city in the department of Marne in France, is situated on the right or north hank of the Vele, a feeder of the Aisne, 80 miles in a straight line and 107 miles by railway through Epernay E. by N. from Paris, in 49°15'15" N. lat., 4° 2' 12" E. long., at an elevation of 282 feet above the level of the sea, and had 43,643 inhabitants in the commune at the census of 1851, exclusive of tho floating population. It is mentioned under the name of Durocortorum by Julius Casette (' Bell. Gall., vi. 44), in whose time it was the capital of the Ilemi. It stood at the convergence of several military roads. At a later period it took the name of the people to whom it belonged, whose name it retains with little alteration. In the time of the empire Durocortorum was the most Important place in the province of Belgica Secunda, and was distinguished by its literary character. Christianity was introduced into Reims about s.n. 360, from which date it gave title to a bishop.
In 494 this city, then in the hands of the Franks, by whom it bad been occupied after the defeat of Sysgrius at Tolbinc, was the scene of the baptism of Clovis and the chief lords of his court by St. Remi, who was then bishop of Reims. Rehm was made an archbishop's see in 744. In 1170 it was signalised by the consecration of Philippe Auguste: all the succeeding kings of Franco down to Charles X. inclusive were also consecrated here, with the exception of Henri IV., Napoleon I., and Louie XVIII. On the revolution of 1830 tho ceremony was abolished. In the middle ages several councils were held here. Reims was also the capital of a county, afterwards of a duchy. In 1359 it was unsuccessfully besieged for seven months by the English nnder Edward III. It was taken in 1421 by the English, who however were driven from it by Joan of Arc. In 1814 it was takeu, March 12, by a corps of Russians, but retaken next day by Napoleon I.
The town is situated In a vast basin surrounded by chalk-hilla, ou which good wines are produced. The site of the town is an oblong, extending from north-west to aouth-enst. The ancient walls which surround it are between two and three miles in extent ; they are strengthened with towers, and being planted with trees form in summer a very agreeable public walk. They inclose within their circumference many large gardens and several spaces entirely unoccu pied. The entrance into the town is by six gates. A Roman triumphal arch, covered with bas-reliefs and adorned with eight fluted Corinthian columns, is built into the circuit of the walls.
The town is well built; the streets are wide, neatly laid out, and well paved, but present a dull appearance from the absence of bustle and the grass which grows plentifully in them. The houses are for the most part built of chalk, or of boards covered with slate; some of them still present their gables to the street ; in others the upper stories project, and being supported on wooden columns form on the ground-floor a covered walk or gallery. The squares are generally small and of Irregular shape, except La-Place-Royale, a regular square, surrounded by good houses and public) buildings of mingled Doric and Italian architecture, and having In its centre a well executed statue of Louis XV. The streets are adorned with fountains supplied with water from the Vele by the water-works erected at his own cost by the Abbe Godinot, one of the canons of the cathedral. There is a pleasant public walk planted with trees on the west aide of the town.
The most striking public building is the cathedral of Notre-Dame, one of the finest gothlo edifices in Europe. It was commenced in 1210 on the site of a more ancient church, and was opened in 1241. The length of the nave and choir is about 466 feet; the breadth 99 feet ; the length of the transept is 160 feet ; the height is 144 feet. The west front, which is flanked by two square towers 267 feet high, is pierced by three magnificent arched portals, adorned with a vast number of statues, bas-reliefs, and other ornaments of exquisite work manship. Over the principal doorway is a fine circular window of stained glass. The shafts of the flying buttresses surmounted with statues, the rose-windows over the side doorways, and the Angel Tower (a remarkably light bell-tower rising 52 feat above the roof of the eisrels at the eastern *oft surmounted by a ball and by the stetoe al as awl from 7 to $ feet highl, are all worthy of atteation. The Inteiner of the church is also very striking from the vast extent of the Rave. the episodic' stalned-glase shadows; the pavement of the choir, inlaid with nsarbie of varWas colours • the ancient baptismal foots ; the organ, reputed to be one of the beet in Prance ; the painting of atrial Washing his Diaciplai Feet, am of the finest work* of Ponsain ; sad the ancient Roman tomb of Jerkins, • citizen of Reims, who, in in 366, attained to the honour of the consulship, and died i0 406. This monument was removed in 1800 from the ruins of the ancient church of St:Nicolas to the nave of the cathedral.