The Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Rheims Cathedral. German artillery first shelled the magnificent Cathedral of Rheims on September 19, 1914 igniting scaffolding that covered the north tower, and beginning a fire that spread to other woodwork within the building. The building was intermittently shelled throughout the war, particularly in the spring of 1917 when it was struck with 70 high-caliber shells. © 2014 John M. Shea