REIMS and VERDUN - France 2014 - page 1485

in perfect condition). Don't miss the 9th-century talisman worn by Charlemagne and the
exquisite chalice used by French royalty in the 12th century.
Another room is filled with gold-plated silver regalia made for the coronation of
Charles X in 1825. The new pieces were necessary because the historic regalia had been
melted down.
In the next room ponder the royal portraits and the 60-pound mantle of the divine
king. Think of the dramatic swings in France's history: A generation after you cut off a
king's head, you welcome a new king as if he were divine.
Before leaving, back on the ground floor , find the hall dedicated to the rebuilding
of the cathedral after WWI bombings and the enlightened philanthropy of John D. Rocke-
fellerJr.WhentheroofsofGothicchurchesburned,theleadthatcoveredthemmeltedand
cascadeddownlikeflowingrivers.Here,thegargoyleswithonce-moltenleadspewingout
their storm-drain mouths make that much easier to envision.
▲ Carnegie Library (Bibliothèque Carnegie)
ThelegacyoftheCarnegieLibrarynetwork,fundedgenerouslybythe19th-centuryAmer-
ican millionaire Andrew Carnegie and his steel fortune (notice the American flag above
the main entrance on the left), extends even to Reims. Carnegie believed knowledge could
put an end to war, and he built several thousand such libraries around the world (he dedic-
ated $200,000 for the one in Reims). Built in 1921 in the flurry of interwar reconstruction,
this beautiful Art Deco building still houses the city's public library. Considering that ad-
mission is free and it's just behind the cathedral, it's worth a quick look.