Rheims and the Battles for its Possession Part 12

[Ill.u.s.tration: 18TH CENTURY ENGRAVING BY COLLIN OF THE VAULTING OF THE ROMULUS AND REMUS ARCADE OF THE MARS GATE _In the centre: Romulus and Remus suckled by the she-wolf._]

This monument was long believed to be a Roman =gate=--hence its name--although the ornamentation of its four sides proves that it cannot originally have been connected with the ramparts. It was only in the Middle Ages that it was included in the fortified castle (_photo, p. 6_) built by the archbishops a few steps to the rear. About 1334 its arcades were walled up, while towards 1554 it was buried under a ma.s.s of rubbish during the building of the fortifications. Partly disinterred in 1594, when the archbishops' castle was pulled down, it was not completely cleared until 1816-1817. Restored, then cla.s.sed as an _historical monument_ (thanks to Prosper Merimee), it is one of the largest Roman structures remaining in France. Forty-four feet high, one hundred and eight wide, and sixteen thick, it was really a triumphal arch built on the Caesarean Way at the entrance to the town, probably in the 4th century. It comprises three arches separated by fluted Corinthian columns which support the entablature. On the two main facades between the columns are carved medallions and niches which have lost their statues. The vaulting of the arches is divided into sunken panels, the carving of which is mostly in a good state of preservation. Under the eastern arch _Romulus and Remus_ are seen suckled by the she-wolf. Under the middle arch, the twelve months of the year, represented by persons (five of whom have been destroyed), occupied in the labours of the four seasons, surround Abundance and Fortune. Under the western arch Love is seen descending from the sky above Leda and the Swan.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HoTEL NOeL DE MUIRE _Note the curious masonry-work of the first storey, composed of polygonal stones in relief._]

_Behind the Mars Gate is the Place de la Republique, containing_ a statue by Bartholdi, damaged by sh.e.l.l-fire. _In front of the Gate, take the Rue Henri IV., leading behind the Hotel-de-Ville, then turn to the left into the Rue de Sedan._ The house at No. 3 was destroyed by sh.e.l.ls, except the =Louis XVI. front= with its gracefully carved garlands, which escaped injury.

_Take the Rue du Grenier-a-Sel, on the right, to the_ =Hotel Noel de Muire=, _on the left, at the corner of the Rue Linguet._

This house consists of the remains of a sort of Henry II. manor with turrets and dormer-windows. The walls, rounded at the corners like those of the Templars, are of brick and dressed stone. The plinth separating the two stories is decorated with carved wreathed foliage. Fret-work and hexagonal points frame the windows, while a broad cornice on consoles carries the roof. Formerly the residence of the lords of Muire, this house was popularly known as the _Maison des Pet.i.ts Pates_, on account of the polygonal shape of the stones in relief. Theodore de Beze, one of the leaders of the Reformation in France, lived there with his friend, Noel de Muire.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE RUE DU MARC]

_Take the Rue du Marc, which continues the Rue du Grenier-a-Sel (photo above)._

The =Rue du Marc= was the quarter where the old n.o.ble families and the higher _bourgeoisie_ of Rheims lived. It suffered considerably from the bombardments.

At No. 3 is a Henry IV. house, the windows of which are framed with graceful ornamentation (_photo below_).

However, the most remarkable house in the street is undoubtedly the =Hotel Nicolas le Vergeur= (No. 1), which, unfortunately, was partly destroyed by the sh.e.l.ls (_see p. 85_).

[Ill.u.s.tration: HOUSE DATING BACK TO THE REIGN OF HENRI IV. (1589-1610) AT NO. 3 RUE DU MARC]

=The Hotel Nicolas Le Vergeur=

The interior building, which has a 17th century carriage entrance, offers two fine examples of 15th and 16th century architecture. It is the finest Renaissance structure in Rheims. The main front, incomparably the most graceful, was but little damaged by the bombardments (_photo below_).

On the ground-floor the great arched doorway is divided by a wooden post into two delicately carved compartments. Pilasters decorated with heads, flowers, birds, and horns of plenty frame the three stone-mullioned windows. Above these runs a frieze of trophies and medallions, with portraits of n.o.ble lords with upturned moustaches and pointed beards, and of great ladies with _collerettes_ and high head-dresses, gracious or haughty, standing well out in relief.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HoTEL NICOLAS LE VERGEUR]

On the first storey, carved panels above the window form a sort of broad frieze of bas-reliefs representing men-at-arms or knights of the time of Francois I. and Henri II. fighting at tournaments with lance, sword, or pike.

In one of the rooms overlooking the Rue Pluche were, a fine stone _mantelpiece_ decorated with graceful delicate foliage; a timber-work _ceiling_ with large and small beams, carrying panels decorated with scrolls, and 15th century _tile-flooring_ of terra-cotta, varnished and painted green and yellow.

At the back of the courtyard, a building, supposed by some to be an old chapel, had been transformed into vast cellars and store-rooms. The _oaken ceiling_ of the latter, about fifty feet long and twenty-one broad, destroyed in 1918, was one of the most beautiful in the world.

The beams, whose extremities carried grotesque figures, were carved on all their sides with foliage, dragons, birds, and fruits. The beams were connected by joists resting on stems, which represented apes, dragons, persons, and foliage. Between the joists the panels had the appearance of scrolls.

_After visiting the Hotel Le Vergeur, turn to the right into the Rue Pluche, which leads to the Place des Marches. Skirt the Square on the left, then take the first street on the left_: =Rue Courmeaux=.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HoTEL ROGIER DE MONCLIN, 18 RUE COURMEAUX]

_At No. 18 are the_ ruins of the =Hotel Rogier de Monclin=, destroyed after April, 1918. This house dated back to the Louis XV. period, but had been disfigured by modern alterations. The facade overlooking the courtyard, the entrance-hall, and the staircase with ornamental bal.u.s.trade, were interesting. At the time of the consecration of Louis XVI., one of the saloons was furnished for the King's brother, the Comte (or _Monsieur_) d'Artois, whence the name "_Rue de Monsieur_," formerly borne by the Rue Courmeaux.

_At No. 30_ is a Renaissance door, almost intact (_photo below_). _At No. 34, at the corner of the Rue Legendre_, is a late 16th century house, whose interior arrangement and facade are intact, except for the woodwork of the windows, which was modernised in the 18th century. It was built on the site of the old wool-market, after Marshal de Saint-Paul, at the time of the League, had compelled the inhabitants of the Faubourg Ceres to destroy their houses.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RENAISSANCE DOOR, _30, Rue Courmeaux_.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CeReS ESPLANADE]

_Return to the Rue Courmeaux and take the Rue Bonhomme on the left, which leads to the Rue Ceres._

The =Rue Ceres= was totally destroyed by fire, from the Place Royale to the Post Office, which had to be given up in the autumn of 1914.

_At No. 30_ is the =Chamber of Commerce=, one of the finest late 18th century buildings in Rheims. The magnificent Louis XVI. rooms escaped practically uninjured. The staircase leading to the first storey, with its delicate bal.u.s.trade, is very remarkable.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHURCH OF ST. ANDRe, _Rue du Faubourg Ceres._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH OF ST. ANDRe]

_The Rue Ceres ends at the Esplanade Ceres_ (_photo, p. 87_), which was made outside the old ramparts near the Ceres Gate. The name Ceres is derived from a tower that long served as a prison (_carcer_, whence by corruption _chair_, _cere_, and then by false mythological a.s.sociation, _Ceres_). It was in this tower (no longer existing, but famous as early as the 9th century) that, according to the _chansons de geste_, Ogier the Dane, handed over by Charlemagne to the custody of the Bishop of Rheims, was incarcerated.

_From the Esplanade continue, if desired, by the Rue du Faubourg Ceres_ (greatly damaged by the bombardments), to the =Church of St. Andre=, a modern building erected by the architect Brunette.

It was struck several times by sh.e.l.ls and will have to be rebuilt. As early as the first bombardment of September 4th, 1914, sh.e.l.l splinters damaged the doorway, transept, stained gla.s.s (part of which was 16th century and came from the old church), small organ, and the painting of the _Baptism of Clovis_. Subsequently, the vaulting and parts of the walls collapsed.

The Church possesses a precious =reliquary= of copper (15th century) and a =statue of St. Andre= (patron of the church) of painted and gilded stone, attributed without authority, to Pierre Jacques.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RELIQUARY OF ST. ANDRe]

[Ill.u.s.tration: HoTEL THIRET DE PRAIN IN 1916 _19 Rue Eugene Desteuque._]

_Return to the Esplanade Ceres, turn to the left at the beginning of the Boulevard de la Paix, then to the right into the_ =Rue Eugene Desteuque=.

_At No. 19 of this street_ are the ruins of the =Hotel Thiret de Prain=.

=The Hotel Thiret de Prain=

This was a mansion in the days of Henry IV. and Louis XIII. Richelieu stayed there in 1641.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HoTEL THIRET DE PRAIN IN 1918 _These two photographs ill.u.s.trate the systematic destructions practised by the Germans._]

An imposing building, bordered with streets on its four sides, it had retained its original appearance. The carriage-entrance in the Rue Eugene Desteuque alone had been rebuilt in 1697. The princ.i.p.al entrance was surmounted with a gallery, the walls, ceiling and beams of which were covered with delicate decorative paintings.

On the first floor one of the corner rooms, looking east, contained a large Henry IV. mantelpiece, above which were the arms of the n.o.bles of Prain. Only the metallic portion remains.

[Ill.u.s.tration: INTERIOR FAcADE OF THE CLOISTER OF THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS _In the courtyard of No. 9, Rue des Trois-Raisinets._]

The dove-cot of the Hotel, a ma.s.sive square tower with pent-house roof, overlooking the Rue d'Avenay, was destroyed by the bombardments.

_On the left of the Rue Eugene-Desteuque, opposite the Hotel Thiret-de-Prain, is the_ Rue des Trois-Raisinets. At No. 9 are the ruins of a Franciscan Cloister (_photo above_).

This street (_photo below_), like the Cloister, suffered severely from the bombardments.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RUINS OF THE MARGOTIN FACTORY _14, Rue des Trois-Raisinets._]

_Return to the Rue Eugene-Desteuque and follow the same as far as the_ Rue de la Grue (_on the right_). This street was badly damaged by sh.e.l.l-fire and is impracticable for motor-cars.