ClasséArchaeological site · protected 1923Forum romain (vestiges de l'ancien)Photo: Jean-Pierre Riocreux · CC BY-SA 1.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Hôtel de ville · Photo: DXR · CC BY-SA 3.066historic monuments
History of Reims · Monuments historiques
66 historic monuments, the oldest from Antiquity
Part of the town has been a protected historic area, a site patrimonial remarquable, since 2020. The Culture ministry lists 66 historic monuments in Reims: 50 classé (France’s highest heritage protection) and 16 inscrit (the second level). That’s 3.7 for every 10,000 residents, more per resident than 62% of compared French towns; the median compared French town has 2.5. We have photos of 57 of them.
Monuments historiques
66
3.7 per 10,000 residents
median compared town 2.5
median compared town 2.5
Classé
50
the highest protection
Inscrit
16
the second level
Oldest part
Antiquity
of any listed monument
Homes before 1919
3.2%
median compared town 7.4%
In pictures
Reims in 57 photos
Nearly every classé monument, photographed. Tap a photo to step through them full screen.
Ancien archevêché, actuellement Palais du TauClassé
Porte de MarsClassé
Immeuble (ancienne douane)Classé
Église Saint-NicaiseClassé
Abbaye Saint-Denis (ancienne)Classé+52See all photosPhotos from Wikimedia Commons, copied to our own server, each credited to its photographer with its license; names open the monument’s page.
How old
How old Reims’ monuments are
Each monument once, by the oldest part the list dates.
Prehistory & Antiquity to the 4th c.3
Middle Ages 5th–15th c.9
16th to 18th century Renaissance to Revolution8
19th century 1801–19003
20th century and later since 190110
12 of 33 dated monuments have parts from before 1500. The oldest dated: Forum romain (vestiges de l'ancien) (Antiquity). 33 monuments have no date on the list.
Map
Where Reims’ monuments stand
Every monument with a point on the ministry’s list; the larger, darker dots are classé.
ClasséInscritWithin 400 m of Cathédrale Notre-Dame
34 of 50classé monuments stand within 400 m of Cathédrale Notre-Dame, with 37 of the town’s 66 monuments.
Tap a dot to open the monument’s page: its record, photo and the monuments around it.
66 monuments by protection
50 Classé16 Inscrit
Classé is the higher protection: any work on the building needs the State’s permission. Work on an inscrit building must be declared to the State in advance. Around both, building work in sight of the monument (usually within 500 m) needs the agreement of the architecte des Bâtiments de France.
Points as the ministry gives them: a monument spread over several plots has one point.
Classé
50 classé monuments in Reims
Classé is France’s highest protection for a building, held by about a third of the monuments on the list. 32 of the 50 are protected in part only (a façade, a roof, a room). Each card opens the monument’s page.
ClasséTown gate · protected 1981Porte Bazée (vestiges)Photo: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséTown gate · protected 1840Porte de MarsPhoto: Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséHospital · protected 1930Ancien hôtel-Dieu, actuellement annexe du palais de justicePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Vassil · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséAbbey · protected 1889Ancienne abbaye Saint-Remi ou ancien Hôtel-DieuPart of the building is protectedPhoto: G.Garitan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Classé
ClasséTown house · protected 1990Hôtel Le VergeurPart of the building is protectedPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Classé
Classé
ClasséHouse · protected 1862Maison dite des Ménétriers ou des MusiciensPhoto: G.Garitan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséHome · protected 1886Ancien archevêché, actuellement Palais du TauPhoto: Tournasol7 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséSchool · protected 1921Ancien collège des Jésuites, actuellement Hospice général MuseuxPart of the building is protectedPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséTown hall · protected 1862Hôtel de villePart of the building is protectedPhoto: DXR · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséTown house · protected 1950Hôtel Ponsardin (ancien)Part of the building is protectedPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséMonument · protected 1953Immeuble (ancienne douane)Part of the building is protectedPhoto: Palauenc05 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Classé
ClasséAbbey · protected 1921Abbaye Saint-Denis (ancienne)Part of the building is protectedPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséChapel · protected 1927Chapelle située à l'entrée du cimetière du NordPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséConvent · protected 1925Couvent des Cordeliers (ruines du)Photo: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséChurch · protected 1920Église Saint-Michel (ancienne)Part of the building is protectedPhoto: Auteur inconnu Unknown author · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Classé
ClasséTown house · protected 1920Hôtel de Bézannes (ancien)Part of the building is protectedPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséMonument · protected 1953Hôtel des postesPart of the building is protectedPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséHouse · protected 1920Maison natale de Jean-Baptiste de la SallePhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Show the other 26
Classé
ClasséPublic building · protected 1952Place RoyalePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Raphaël Toussaint · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Classé
ClasséMilitary building · protected 1920Poudrière (ancienne)Part of the building is protectedPhoto: Michel Germain / Achille Peigné-Delacourt · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1953Immeuble, 11 place RoyalePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Fab5669 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1954Immeuble, 15 place RoyalePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséFountain · protected 1923Fontaine, rue BarbâtrePhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1954Immeuble, 2 rue BertinPart of the building is protectedPhoto: Fab5669 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1954Immeuble, 1 rue CarnotPart of the building is protectedPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1922Immeuble, 15 rue CarnotPart of the building is protectedPhoto: Palauenc05 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1953Immeuble, 1 place RoyalePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Basvb · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1925Immeuble, 2 place RoyalePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Fab5669 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1954Immeuble, 3 place RoyalePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1925Immeuble, 5 place RoyalePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Basvb · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1925Immeuble, 7 place RoyalePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Basvb · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1925Immeuble, 9 place RoyalePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Basvb · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1953Immeuble, 13 place RoyalePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Fab5669 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1923Immeuble, 22 rue de TambourPart of the building is protectedPhoto: Dguendel · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséBuilding · protected 1954Immeuble, 1 rue TrudainePart of the building is protectedPhoto: Gérald Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséHouse · protected 1920Maison, 142 rue BarbâtrePart of the building is protectedPhoto: G.Garitan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
ClasséHouse · protected 1953Maison, 2 rue ColbertPart of the building is protectedPhoto: G.Garitan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Market hall · protected 1990Halles centrales
Monument · protected 1985Salle de la reddition du 7 mai 1945 située dans l'immeuble (lycée technique)
Building · protected 1954Immeuble, 1 rue ColbertPart of the building is protected
Building · protected 1921Immeuble, 1 rue de la GruePart of the building is protected
Building · protected 1953Immeuble, 2 rue TrudainePart of the building is protected
Inscrit
16 inscrit monuments in Reims
Inscrit is the second level of protection: the building is worth keeping, and any work on it must be declared.
All 16, A to Z
American Memorial HospitalBibliothèque CarnégieCellier d'expéditionChapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-PaixCinéma-opéraCirque et manègeCouvent des Jacobins (vestiges de l'ancien)Immeuble, 1 rue de SedanMaison à pans de boisMaison MargotinMaison, 5 rue du MarcParc dit "de Champagne", à l'origine "Parc Pommery"Piscine du Tennis-ClubPorte servant autrefois d'entrée à «la Pourcelette»Synagogue, 49 rue ClovisVilla "Douce"
3 more, named only by their kind
3 more are named in the list only by their kind: 1 building (immeuble), 1 house (maison) and 1 other, most from the 16th century. The 3 with an address are in the list above, by it.
16th c.1
19th c.1
undated1
What’s protected
Houses and homes are the largest group in Reims
Each monument under the main domain Mérimée gives it.
Houses & homes31
Public & civic14
Religious buildings12
Military & fortified1
Bridges & engineering1
Industrial1
Shops & trade1
Houses & homes: 31 of 66 monuments (47%). 12 are religious buildings, 9 of them classé.
Mérimée files each monument under one main domain: a château with its chapel counts once. 5 have no domain on the list.
Protected area
Reims has 2 protected historic areas
Sites patrimoniaux remarquables on the Culture ministry’s list, with the plan in force.
| Area | Created as | Plan in force |
|---|---|---|
| SPR44-18 | – May 28, 2020 | – |
| SPR44-19 | AVAP November 14, 2016 | AVAP (heritage area rules) November 14, 2016 |
A site patrimonial remarquable protects a whole area rather than one building: inside it, building work follows the area’s own plan and needs the agreement of the architecte des Bâtiments de France.
The list gives no boundaries, so the map can’t show the area.
When protected
Reims’ list has grown since 1840
Monuments by the year they were first protected.
1953 · 71920 · 6
1840186018801900192019401960198020002020
First protected, in 1840: Église Saint-Rémi and Porte de Mars. That was France’s first list of monuments historiques, drawn up in Prosper Mérimée’s time as inspector. 7 were protected in 1953 alone. 2 have been added since 2011.
Age of homes
3.2% of homes in Reims were built before 1919
Main homes by when they were finished, beside the median compared French town (the tick).
3.2%
Before 1919
11%
1919–45
27%
1946–70
31%
1971–90
13%
1991–2005
14%
2006 on
ReimsMedian compared French town
3.2% of its main homes were built before 1919; the median compared French town has 7.4%. More of them were finished between 1971 and 1990 than in any other period (31%).
INSEE, census 2023: main homes (résidences principales) only; second homes and empty homes aren’t dated.
Born before 1900
172 people born in Reims before 1900
The 20 best known on the line, and eight of them below.
Henri Ier de France
Guillaume de Machaut
Pierre Cauchon
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Nicolas Roland
Jean-Baptiste de La Salle
Nicolas Irénée Ruinart
Jean Goulin
Simon-Nicolas-Henri Linguet
Guillaume Alexandre Tronson du Coudray
Jean-Baptiste Brunet
Jean-Baptiste Drouet d'Erlon
Barbe-Nicole Clicquot-Ponsardin Veuve Clicquot
Nicolas Eugène Géruzez
Gustave Albitte
Henri Blondel
Félix Baumaine
Olivier Métra
Émile Senart
Jean-Louis Forain
1050120013501500165018001950
HI
Henri Ier de France1008–1060 · king of the Franks from 1031 to 1060
GM
Guillaume de Machaut1300–1377 · Medieval French composer and poet (c. 1300–1377)
PC
Pierre Cauchon1371–1442 · French bishop, prosecutor of Joan of Arc
JB
Jean-Baptiste Colbert1619–1683 · French statesman
NR
Nicolas Roland1642–1678 · French priest and founder
JB
Jean-Baptiste de La Salle1651–1719 · French priest and Catholic saint
NI
Nicolas Irénée Ruinart1697–1769
JG
Jean Goulin1728–1799 · French physician
Everyone born in Reims Birthplaces from Wikidata, checked against Wikipedia.
Neighbors
Historic monuments in the towns around Reims
| Town | Residents | Monuments | Classé | Protected area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reims | 177,674 | 66 | 50 | Yes |
| Tinqueux | 10,771 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Saint-Brice-Courcelles | 3,566 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Cormontreuil | 6,534 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Bétheny | 6,975 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Bezannes | 5,039 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Witry-lès-Reims | 4,950 | 1 | 1 | — |
In brief
Reims in brief
Reims’s oldest monument, Forum romain (vestiges de l'ancien), dates from Antiquity. All told, the list holds 66 historic monuments, 50 of them classé, including Hôtel de ville. Ancienne abbaye Saint-Remi ou ancien Hôtel-Dieu is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its classé monuments cluster together: 34 of them stand within 400 m of Cathédrale Notre-Dame.
Parts of it lie in 2 sites patrimoniaux remarquables, the first protected in 2020. Hôtel des postes carries the Architecture contemporaine remarquable label. Henri Ier de France (1008), Guillaume de Machaut (1300) and Pierre Cauchon (1371) are among the 172 people born here before 1900. Otherwise the figures are ordinary: it has 66 historic monuments, about typical for a town its size (the middle one has 65); and per resident it sits near the middle of compared French towns.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Monuments historiques. France protects buildings at two levels. Classé, the higher (about a third of the list), means any work needs the State’s permission; inscrit means work must be declared to the State in advance. The Culture ministry’s Mérimée base lists every protected building, and this page counts them.
- Partly protected. Many entries protect part of a building only (its façades and roofs, a staircase, a painted room). Each counts as one monument, like a fully protected one.
- Where a monument is counted. In the commune named on its protection, moved to today’s commune where communes have since merged. A monument listed for several communes counts in each.
- Sites patrimoniaux remarquables. Since 2016 France’s protected historic areas (the former secteurs sauvegardés, ZPPAUP and AVAP) share one name. Inside one, building work follows the area’s plan and needs the agreement of the architecte des Bâtiments de France.
- What isn’t here. Protected objects (furniture, organs, paintings), old buildings with no protection, UNESCO World Heritage listings and labels such as “Plus Beaux Villages de France” aren’t on this list, so this page doesn’t count them.
- No History Grade yet. Everything on this page is described, not graded: France’s History Grade isn’t built yet.
Questions about the history of Reims
How many historic monuments are there in Reims?
The Culture ministry lists 66 historic monuments in Reims: 50 classé and 16 inscrit.
Which monuments in Reims are classé?
50, among them Forum romain (vestiges de l'ancien), Porte Bazée (vestiges), Porte de Mars, Ancien hôtel-Dieu, actuellement annexe du palais de justice, Ancienne abbaye Saint-Remi ou ancien Hôtel-Dieu and Église Saint-Rémi.
How old are the monuments of Reims?
The oldest parts of its listed monuments date from Antiquity.
Is Reims a protected historic area?
Yes: Reims has 2 sites patrimoniaux remarquables, the first since 2020.
When were monuments in Reims first protected?
The first in 1840, the latest in 2024.
How old are the homes in Reims?
3.2% of its main homes were built before 1919 (median compared French town: 7.4%).
France has no History Grade yet: this page describes, it doesn’t grade.
Sources: Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée base on POP (immeubles protégés au titre des monuments historiques), October 2026 · Ministère de la Culture, sites patrimoniaux remarquables, October 2026 · INSEE, census 2023 (main homes by build period) · Wikidata and Wikipedia (people born here) · Wikimedia Commons and Wikidata (photos of the monuments, each with its own credit and license) · IGN Admin Express (boundaries) · Medians and percentiles: TownRatings, over compared French towns, updated November 4, 2026. Under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab).
Contains public sector information under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab): INSEE, DGFiP, the Interior Ministry’s statistics service (SSMSI), the Ministry of Education (DEPP), the Health Ministry’s statistics service (DREES) and the Housing Ministry (Carte des loyers). Commune boundaries: IGN Admin Express.