Tau Palace

The Tau Palace adjacent to the cathedral was once the residence of the city’s archbishop and his entire administration . It was therefore the archiepiscopal palace of Reims. This palace also played a major role in the coronation of the kings of France, since they resided here when they came to Reims. Banquets were held in the splendid salle des Festins, to celebrate the coronation. Needless to say that the meal was nothing short of gargantuan! The king sat at a U-shaped table, surrounded by twelve vassals of the Crown. He was thus depicted as Christ, surrounded by his twelve apostles. They were accompanied by hundreds of people, including counts and the people of Reims, who had come to witness the coronation. There was music, ballets, dancing and, above all, lots and lots of food and wine. It was basically a feast that could not be missed. The first building to be constructed here dates back to the 5th century and was already the bishops’ residence. Over the centuries, it was enlarged, modified, restored, then transformed into a court and  exchange house during the French Revolution. It finally  returned to its original function until 1905, year during which the law separating the Church and the State was passed. This law, guaranteed freedom of worship and the secularity of the country. A year later, the archbishop living in the Tau Palace was forced to leave. In 1907, the palace was listed as a Historic Monument. Unfortunately, this couldn’t prevent it from being destroyed by fire during the war. It was not restored until the 1950s , and it became the Reims Cathedral and Coronation of the Kings of France Museum in 1972. The name, Tau, refers to the T-shaped main hall of the palace. Visitors can see the cathedral’s treasures, including Charlemagne’s talisman and the chalice of Saint Remi, as well as the old tapestries and some of the original statuary. There’s plenty to see and learn about the coronation of the kings! Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until it reopens in 2025. In the meantime, you can climb the cathedral’s towers for a superb view of the city!