A Beautiful Art Deco Library Is Hiding in the Shadow of a World-Famous Cathedral

The Carnegie Library of Reims is an undeniable, art deco dream. But it’s also incredibly easy to miss. Located right across the square from the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, the building is literally dwarfed by its ostentatious neighbor, a UNESCO World Heritage site that traditionally served as the location for the coronation of French Kings. During World War One, the church was also notable as a safe haven, with a big Red Cross Flag marking the structure off-limits as a military target. Perhaps it’s fitting, or at least low-key poetic, that post-World War One, the library next door was built to offer a different kind of refuge, making it an unexpected entry in The Daily Beast’s series, The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries.

Today, Reims is a city of about 180,000 people, with a bucolic reputation enhanced by the fact it also serves as the unofficial capital of the champagne region—meaning a good number of visitors are probably experiencing the region’s charms while tipsy. But after World War I the city looked significantly different. Thanks to German occupation, Reims had experienced all the horrors of war, including loss of life, disruption of business, and significant structural damage to over 60% of their buildings.

Enter Andrew Carnegie.

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