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Palais du Tau Reims The former palace of the archbishops of Reims bears a curious name, referring to its original "T"-shaped plan (Tau in Greek). Built on the ruins of a Gallo-Roman domus, right next to the cathedral, the building long had the appearance of a fortress, before major renovations by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the architect of Versailles, and his disciple Robert de Cotte transformed it into a classical palace in the 17th century. It was here that the kings of France were crowned in Reims Cathedral, symbolizing the alliance between God and monarchy. From Louis the Pious in 816 to Charles X in 1825, thirty-three monarchs passed through these halls. These walls were also the setting for the great feast that followed the coronation, attended by thousands of guests, where the king, in the midst of twelve great vassals, re-enacted Christ's Last Supper in the midst of his apostles. In 1722, at the coronation of Louis XV, an effervescent wine called "champagne" was served for the first time. Transformed into a court during the Revolution, then into a prison, the palace was restored for the last coronation in French history, that of Charles X. Classified as a historic monument in 1907, the Palais du Tau burned down along with the cathedral and most of the city of Reims under German bombardment in 1914. It wasn't until the 1950s that it was completely rebuilt, and transformed into a museum in 1972. On display is Charlemagne's "talisman", a jewel of gold and precious stones enclosing a relic of the Holy Cross. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, the palace is currently undergoing a major renovation project, with the aim of transforming it into a museum dedicated to the coronation of the kings of France.
Timbre-poste (Taille-douce) : Création Vincent Lelièvre et gravure Claude Jumelet D'après Photos Jean-Luc Paillé / Centre des monuments nationaux Création et mise en page du document philatélique et création du timbre a date : Vincent Lelièvre Texte : Jean-Yves Le Naour
Commercialisation start date
June 15, 2026
Commercialisation end date
June 30, 2027
Adherence type
None
Printing technique
Offset
Number per sheet
1
Permanent value
Face value
-
Philatelic charter family
(not applicable)
Official release date
June 15, 2026
Stamp format
210x297
author
LELIÈVRE VINCENT
Product number
2126516
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