n.
or Rheims
City (pop., 1999: 187,206), northeastern France.
The ancient capital of the Gallic tribe of the Remi, it was conquered by the Romans. In the 5th century the Frankish king Clovis was baptized there, and in honour of this occasion most later French kings were crowned in Reims. The city was badly damaged in World Wars I and II and was the scene of Germany's unconditional surrender in May 1945. It is a major wine-producing centre noted especially for champagne. Other industries include aircraft and automobile equipment manufacturing. The 13th-century cathedral of Notre-Dame is one of the most notable Gothic cathedrals in France.
The cathedral of Notre-Dame, Reims, Fr.
Paul Almasy