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Interior of Notre Dame at RheimsVintage Photographs - Cathedrals and Churches
Updated - Saturday, 27 May, 2006

This section of the website contains archive photographs taken during, before and after the war.  Specifically this sub-section contains photos of cathedrals and churches, usually under severely damaged conditions.

Click here to read introductory notes relating to this section, including information on photograph sources.  Use the sidebar to the right to select other categories of photos available within this section.

The photos reproduced below are in thumbnail format - simply click a given photograph to view a larger copy within a separate window.

Ruined church on the Noyon front (CNP) Ruins of a church at Maurepas (CNP)
Ruined church near Dixmude (CPE) A French church field hospital (CPE)
Church of Sailly in November 1916 (CPE) Statue of Joan of Arc before Rheims Cathedral (CNP)
Ruins of Cathedral at Arras (CNP) Shell bursting on the cathedral at Rheims (CNP)
Interior of Notre Dame at Rheims (CNP) Great arches at Notre Dame, Rheims (CPE)
Cathedral of Notre Dame, after repeated bombardments (CPE) Service at Meaux to commemorate second anniversary of the Marne (CPE)
Abbe Thuillies of Cambrai conducting service at Cambrai Cathedral (WW) Saint-Nicholas church before and after the bombardment (SR)
Refugees in a church in France (NW) Ruined Rheims cathedral as seen from one of its towers (NW)
Rheims cathedral before it was ruined by shellfire (NW) Results of a shell at Malines cathedral (NW)
German troops attend church in the garrison church at Przemysl (NW) Ruined church of St. Pierre, Louvain, from the rear (NW)
Special service of intercession at St. Paul's Cathedral (NW) Roketno church, near Warsaw, destroyed by artillery fire (NW)
Rheims cathedral (HW) Ruins of the church at Vise, destroyed by German shelling (GW)
Effects of German shells in Malines Cathedral (GW) In Malines Cathedral after the German occupation (GW)
Damage to Rheims Cathedral (GW) The famous bells of Rheims Cathedral (GW)
After the German bombardment at Rheims Cathedral (GW) Inside Ypres Cathedral following a German bombardment (GW)
German troops passing a church during the advance on Antwerp (GW) St Jean's Church, Dixmude, after bombardment (GW)
Ruined church of Mont Saint Eloi near Lens (GW) Preparing for the evacuation of Warsaw: removing church bells (GW)
Inside the ruins of Arras Cathedral (GW) Steeple of asylum chapel, Ypres, thrown down through the roof by a shell (GWS)
The tottering towers of the church at St Eloi (GWS) Damage wrought upon the historical cathedral at Ypres (GWS)
Lutheran pastor preaching to German soldiers near Soissons (GWS) French Roman Catholic service in northern France (GWS)
Intercession day at St Paul's Cathedral, London, 25 July 1915 (GWS) The Bishop of London with wounded soldiers, 25 July 1915 (GWS)
The Rue St. Symphonei, Rheims, with ruined cathedral (GWS) An undamaged shrine at the church at Reninghe (GWS)

Battle Police were military policemen deployed behind an attack to intercept stragglers.

Original Material © Michael Duffy 2000-07, SafeSurf Rated